Teamwork and Crisis Resource Management

By definition, a team is two or more people who are working together. Teamwork can be thought of as the dynamic behaviors, cognitions, attitudes, and skills that allow a team to perform its stated goal. Concerning healthcare teamwork, nearly two decades ago, the Institute of Medicine issued the report To Err Is Human, which identified teamwork as a key target for improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the last twenty-five years, crisis resource management has become synonymous with a style of teamwork and performance epitomized by healthcare providers in high acuity, time-pressured environments such as acute care practice. This chapter discusses the major themes of crisis resource management.