Quotes Related to Lanham et al’s Relationship Characteristics in Clinics with High and Low WRS Scores
Rich communication | |
Communication through face-to-face conversation; most effective when messages are unclear or ambiguous | |
Low WRS score clinics | “I think that some days we should just sit down and say, ‘Okay, this is what’s going on. What do you know—how do you perceive this is supposed to be done?’ …[S]ometimes the hurdles that we run into are just, they could have been easily avoided if there had been a little bit better communication.” |
High WRS score clinics | “Well, you know we have what’s called huddle every morning and any problems from the day before are discussed in huddle with all the team members and the clerical staff, social workers, the pharmacist. So we all get to know anything that’s going on at that time.” |
Heedful interrelating | |
Individuals are attentive to their work tasks and sensitive to how their roles and actions affect and intersect with those around them | |
Low WRS score clinics | “…[T]here’s a whole lot of tension and a lot of it has to do with, ‘That ain’t my job and you’re messing in my area and you don’t belong in my area and you need to back out and just stay in your own business.’” |
High WRS score clinics | “I think the teamwork here is just excellent. You know we really pitch in and try and help. Everyone’s attitude basically is that if one person’s working hard, we’re all working hard.” |
Trust | |
Individuals feel safe in making themselves vulnerable to others | |
Low WRS score clinics | “Some people are probably not going to verbalize a lot, because they’re afraid it might get back to their boss or… because they don’t want to rock the boat.” |
High WRS score clinics | “So, I have learned so much about medicine itself from these people; they’re wonderful…I’m not afraid to approach them for whatever the patient needs, because the goal is to provide the best and safest patient care.” |
Respectful interaction | |
Honest, appreciative, and self-confident interaction between individuals | |
Low WRS score clinics | “That’s one of the things that kind of has me down on the clinic, just lack of communication, for coordination, lack of respect in my opinion, professionalism, and so, and your opinion about things, how things should run.” |
High WRS score clinics | “The camaraderie among the team members, among the teams, among the different disciplines, that we work so cohesively together. So, ideal.” |
Mindfulness | |
Demonstrating openness to diverse ideas and perspectives | |
Low WRS score clinics | “…I don’t even make suggestions anymore. I mean, you get tired after a while. I mean, you know, you really want to make a difference, but it doesn’t go anywhere and people get tired and frustrated….” |
High WRS score clinics | “We have a really great chain of command that empowers us to make decisions and then also when we have problems to voice those concerns and tell them what our hurdles are and so they can help us on their end or help us with ideas about how to overcome the hurdles that we’re encountering.” |
WRS=Work Relationships Scale.
Note: Relationship characteristics from Lanham HJ, McDaniel RR Jr, Crabtree BF, et al.7