Build-up of frustrations and barriers in everyday work in healthcare can reduce team and individual efficiency, and contribute to safety issues. This module will help teams identify, and find possible solutions to, the frustrations and barriers commonly occurring in their working practice.
Click on the button below to download the Removing frustrations / blockers module package, which contains detailed information including instructions on how to run the workshop session, facilitator notes, and outcomes template.
Please click the link below to download a modified version of this module which teams can use to conduct sessions via video conferencing rather than in-person.
Removing Frustrations/Blockers remote session outline
When running this remote module, participants may need to be separated into sub-groups for discussions. Please view this brief video conferencing note for guidance on how to do this.
Note that your organisation may have policies on which video conferencing tools are permitted to be used.
In this module, teams will develop a map of their operational processes and identify areas that could be improved, as well as the barriers and enablers of improvement. They will also decide upon how to incorporate regular check-ups on frustrations and blockers into team meetings and commit to action to resolve them.
1-2 team members can facilitate discussions and ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute. One facilitator can act as whiteboard/flip chart scribe to collect ideas and outputs, and identify common themes from discussions.
The session is structured as follows:
- Welcome and introduction (5 minutes)
- Frustrations and enablers exercise (15 minutes)
- Facilitated discussion on process and frustrations / enablers (20 minutes)
- Course of action (10 minutes)
- Feedback and close of session (5 minutes)
Frustrations in our daily job can build up and lead to safety issues. They can sap our energy and make us less efficient in our work. An accumulation of frustrations can create hazardous working conditions and may over time lead to demotivation and burnout.1 It is important to identify these frustrations early on and act to remove the ones which are within our control. Items from the list of frustrations can be assessed to see if they also need to be included on the organization’s ‘Hazard / Risk Registry’.
Empowering staff to identify enablers or suggest ways of improving work processes are important to maintain staff motivation and engagement. However, equally important is a process for acting on those suggestions. Building processes for dealing with frustrations and acting on enablers or suggestions for improvement should be built into existing meetings and organisational reporting structures where possible.
References
- de Lima Garcia C, Bezerra IMP, Ramos JLS, do Valle JETMR, Bezerra de Oliveira ML, Abreu LC. Association between culture of patient safety and burnout in pediatric hospitals. PLoS One. 2019 Jun 24;14(6):e0218756.