ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews intensive care unit (ICU) team communication research, as well as introducing the results from two studies of team communication recently conducted in the United Kingdom intensive care environment. Healthcare teams tend to be quite hierarchical in nature, with senior doctors usually having a higher status than other healthcare professionals. The importance of effective team communication for patient safety has been demonstrated in various medical domains. Investigations examining communication in the ICU have also shown better communication to be associated with positive patient-related outcomes. A number of studies have attempted to improve communication and decision making in the ICU through implementing communication protocols or encouraging a change in the communication culture. The applied psychology literature has demonstrated that the behavioral norms of a team are important for ensuring high-quality team communication and coordination, and ultimately team performance and safety.
