Coaching interprofessional health care improvement teams: the coachee, the coach and the leader perspectives

AimTo investigate health care improvement team coaching activities from the perspectives of coachees, coaches and unit leaders in two national improvement collaboratives. BackgroundDespite numerous methods to improve health care, inconsistencies in success have been attributed to factors that include unengaged staff, absence of supportive improvement resources and organisational inertia. MethodsMixed methods sequential exploratory study design, including quantitative and qualitative data from interprofessional improvement teams who received team coaching. The coachees (n=382), coaches (n=9) and leaders (n=30) completed three different data collection tools identifying coaching actions perceived to support improvement activities. ResultsCoachees, coaches and unit leaders in both collaboratives reported generally positive perceptions about team coaching. Four categories of coaching actions were perceived to support improvement work: context, relationships, helping and technical support. ConclusionsAll participants agreed that regardless of who the coach is, emphasis should include the four categories of team coaching actions. Implications for nursing managementLeaders should reflect on their efforts to support improvement teams and consider the four categories of team coaching actions. A structured team coaching model that offers needed encouragement to keep the team energized, seems to support health care improvement.