Nurse and nurse assistant perceptions of missed nursing care: what does it tell us about teamwork?

Missed nursing care is a pervasive problem in acute care hospitals as is dysfunctional nursing teamwork. Given that teamwork has a significant impact on healthcare quality and patient safety, the author reports findings from a study that examined differences in perceptions between RNs and nursing assistants as to the extent of missed nursing care and the reasons for missing that care. Study findings point to a lack of essential elements of teamwork (ie, closed-looped communication, leadership, team orientation, trust, and shared mental models). The author analyzes what this reveals about teamwork between these 2 groups of nursing personnel who work side by side caring for the same patients and offers specific interventions.