The level of teamwork and associated factors in the selected hospitals from the nurses' perspective: A cross-sectional study

Background & Aim: Teamwork represents a fundamental prerequisite for providing quality and safe care. This study aimed to determine the level of teamwork and the factors that influence the level of teamwork in selected hospitals in the Slovak Republic. Methods & Materials: The descriptive cross-sectional study included 207 nurses from 12 departments of three district hospitals in the Slovak Republic. Data were collected between November 2022 and February 2023 using a questionnaire that evaluated nursing teamwork, the Nursing Teamwork Survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Nurses evaluated the level of teamwork as (3.74± 0.64), which means ideal less than 75% of the time during the last working shift. The best-rated subscale was the Shared mental model (4.17± 0.49), while the worst-rated subscale was Team orientation (2.47± 0.85). Differences in teamwork level were found based on unit type, education, number of hours worked, number of overtime hours, and perceived staff adequacy (p≤ 0.05). The correlation analysis revealed associations between teamwork and job satisfaction, teamwork satisfaction, subjective quality evaluation, and patient safety, as well as with the number of patients in the last shift, including the number of admitted and discharged patients. Conclusion: By regularly determining teamwork levels, it is possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses of nursing teams. Analyzing team weaknesses and implementing targeted measures can lead to strengthening teamwork and improving team functioning.