Table 4 Themes related to teaming

Communication

It just helps to look at [name radiographer student] and say, “You (pointing at a colleague), run! There’s a cardiac arrest”. It’s a clear command. Instead of just shouting it out in the room, I've always been told that, then say, “YOU, run.” (Radiographer 1-B4)

Just closed-loop [communication]. So, when [name doctor] says to [name nurse assistant], then [name assistant] replies, “I’m calling [the cardiac arrest team]”, “I’ve called”. That worked well. (Nurse 1-D10)

Well, I was sort of in doubt; For example, were you [cardiac arrest team] called at all…? (Nurse 1-D13)

If someone asks us to do it, we should have repeated it. “Who has the time?”, “I have the time” or something like that. (Nurse 1-A3)

Role allocation

I think we were quick to divide the roles between the nurses when we arrived. (Nurse 1-B1)

I think we did good - helping each other. One thing is leadership, another is that we’re all curious of how we can best help each other because the team leader can’t keep an eye on everything, e.g., who needs to be replaced [at chest compressions]. I think we did well, at helping each other. (Nurse 3-D40)

I had a hard time figuring out what I could do when I arrived, because everybody was occupied and busy doing their thing. (Physician 1-D38)

I did chest compressions, and all of a sudden, I was standing with the medication, and I suddenly got a new task, and I thought that’s not good, because I was circulating on chest compressions with two others. (Nurse 4-D37)

I could have used a little more structure. (Nurse 4-D37)

Maybe it is too much to ask, but it would have been nice if someone took the lead. Then there wouldn’t be doubt about who should do what. (Nurse 6-D37)

Leadership

[Debriefer: How was it for you that your physician clearly stated that he/she is the team leader?]; It is nice and feels safe (Nurse 2-D15); Indeed (Nurse assistant 1-D15); Most definitely, it works for sure. (Nurse 1-D15)

I think it is good to know that [name physician] is standing next to me and aren’t doing anything other than keeping the overview. (Nurse 2-D10)

You [name, nurse 1-D40] was the leader in the beginning, and I felt completely safe about it so I could just do chest compressions and hear that you delegated tasks to people. (Physician 1-D40); It was you [name, nurse 1-D40] who delegated. (Nurse 3-D40); It sort of just burst out of me. (Nurse 1-D40); That worked really well. (Nurse 3-D40)

We definitely lacked a team leader among the nurses who could delegate, but I think we were taken by surprise... (Nurse 1-D9)

It would have been nice – because I haven’t been involved in something like this before – so I’m insecure about taking the leadership in the situation. (Nurse 1-D37)

I think it would have been nice if the part about who’s the team leader was said out loud, like, “Now I’m team leader.” (Nurse 1-D14)

Shared knowledge

When you started to write it [treatment progress] down, I felt there was more control of what was happening. (Nurse 8-B2)

It is about communicating it clearly and loud so everybody can hear it. (Orderly 2-A3)

… I just thought that I wouldn’t have been called if not the cardiac arrest team had been called already. I just assumed that the cardiac arrest team would arrive any minute, so I started acting as leader until they arrived. I thought they were en route. I just didn’t ask about it. (Physician 1-D18); And I just made the exact same mistake when I arrived. I just assumed that, of course, the cardiac arrest team had been called. (Physician 2-D18)

Well, I just assumed that everybody did what they were supposed to do. (Physician 1-B2)