Takeaway
Medical team huddles are a powerful practice to foster unity. This routine promotes teamwork, collaboration, and respect.
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence | April 23, 2025 | 3 min read
By Tehsim Memon, MD, Smt NHL Municipal Medical College, India, with Carolina Musri, MD, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Throughout medical school in India, I often read about the importance of teamwork in hospitals, and I saw some aspects of this. However, it wasn’t until my observership at Johns Hopkins that I truly understood what structured, inclusive, and effective collaboration looks like.
During my rotation in the general medical floors, I had the opportunity to work closely with nurses and experience their excellent teamwork. Every day the charge nurse held a huddle for all floor nurses to discuss and update recent developments and planned discharges for the day. For example, they took a moment to celebrate a milestone—zero patient falls that week. In the spirit of encouragement, another charge nurse cheerfully promised pizzas for everyone if the streak continued through the month. It was brief but purposeful and the applause for the nurses’ vigilance and dedication fostered a sense of unity, awareness, and mutual appreciation.
When I rotated in the Intermediate Care Unit that the interdisciplinary teamwork became even clearer. Before patient rounding, the attending hospitalist met the physician assistants, nurses, social workers, and respiratory therapists to get an update on the patients and inquire about any barriers for optimal care. Opinions were shared and decisions were made considering all these points of view.
Coming from a system where some healthcare professionals may hesitate to give their valuable insights due to fear of overstepping their role, often resulting in physicians being the sole decision-makers, this was astounding. It was refreshing and inspiring to see a system where everyone associated with patient care has a say, without rigid hierarchies or repressive undertones. Furthermore, this culture creates a safe space, where everyone can freely express their concerns and opinions, with mutual respect that ultimately enhances patient care. It also relieves the decision-making burden on newly graduated physicians adjusting to novel environments and complexities.
In healthcare systems that lack teamwork, placing the entire burden on a single healthcare professional also increases the risk of burnout and medical errors significantly. Therefore, when every team member contributes from their field of expertise, the workload and responsibilities are effectively shared. Without the support from a team, even the most capable clinicians can find themselves overwhelmed.
To illustrate with an example, I remember a patient who had just undergone a tracheostomy. The respiratory therapists stepped in seamlessly managing suction, adjusting ventilator settings, and providing focused care. Their expertise allowed physicians and nurses to attend to other needs, showing me how essential each role is in truly shared care.
Then there was Mrs. X, who faced both complex medical issues and a language barrier. A multidisciplinary team—including specialists, a translator, and a social worker—came together over multiple meetings to ensure that she and her family received a clear, unified care plan. It was teamwork at its best: patient-centered, coordinated, and compassionate.
And I learned that teamwork doesn’t end at discharge. For patients needing support at home, the collaboration continued—social workers, therapists, and physician assistants worked to arrange rehabilitation, follow-ups, and safe transitions. Watching this, I understood that teamwork isn’t just a concept—it’s a continuous, living practice.
These moments left a lasting impression on me, and here are the takeaways I carry forward:
1. Inclusivity empowers better care.
When every team member—from nurses to respiratory therapists—has a voice, patient care is more comprehensive and responsive. True collaboration involves open communication, mutual respect, and shared responsibility across disciplines.
2. Recognition and routine build a culture of care.
Simple practices like daily nurse huddles and celebrating small wins create a culture of support and motivation.
3. Shared care is sustainable care.
Effective teamwork distributes the emotional and decision-making load, allowing healthcare professionals to thrive with reduced burnout, while giving high-quality care.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Musri.
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.