TeamFirst Field
Guide
Building Safety Culture Through Mindful Organizing
A practical reference designed to help teams in human service settings build safer, more reliable, and more effective ways of working together. Grounded in the research of Timothy Vogus and Karl Weick on mindful organizing, this guide translates theory into action through habits, strategies, and tactics teams can practice daily.
Overview & Purpose
At the heart of high-reliability organizations (HROs) — like aircraft carriers, hospitals, and nuclear control rooms — is a culture of mindful organizing. This guide adapts those principles for the helping professions: child welfare, healthcare, social work, emergency services, education, and beyond.
Drawing on the work of John Dewey and modern habit theory, Vogus and Hilligoss (2016) argue that excellence is not achieved through isolated acts of mindfulness, but through consistent, socially reinforced habits. When embedded into team culture, habits enable fast, adaptive responses to complex challenges while conserving cognitive resources.
"By practicing these habits consistently through the use of tactics, teams can transform their culture, improve outcomes, and better serve the individuals and families who rely on them."
This guide is organized into three levels: Habits (enduring mindsets), Strategies (overarching action statements), and Tactics (concrete tools). Together, they form a progression from values to practice.
The Six Habits of Mindful Organizing
In high-pressure, high-stakes environments, safety and effectiveness are sustained through consistent, shared habits — not isolated acts of excellence. These six habits translate the theory of mindful organizing into everyday team practice.
Spend Time Identifying What Could Go Wrong
High-reliability teams are proactive, not reactive. This habit reflects a preoccupation with failure — a mindset that assumes things can and will go wrong, even in routine situations. Ask: "Where are we most vulnerable?"
Talk About Mistakes and Ways to Learn from Them
Mistakes are inevitable in complex work — but learning from them is not. Teams that normalize open conversations about errors foster psychological safety and continuous improvement. The goal is insight, not blame.
Test Change in Everyday Work Activities
Improvement doesn't require perfection — it requires experimentation. This habit encourages teams to try small, low-risk changes in real-time practice, building a culture of curiosity and shared ownership.
Develop Understanding of "Who Knows What" & Communicate Clearly
In high-stakes, fast-paced environments, knowing who holds what knowledge is critical. This habit emphasizes sensitivity to operations, deference to expertise, and clear structured communication across roles.
Appreciate Colleagues and Their Unique Skills
Appreciation is more than politeness — it's a powerful tool for building trust, morale, and team cohesion. Recognizing others' contributions helps team members feel seen, valued, and motivated.
Make Candor and Respect a Precondition to Teamwork
Effective teamwork depends on honest, respectful communication. This habit creates a culture where people can speak up, challenge ideas, and engage in healthy conflict — and resolve tensions constructively.
How Teams Create Habits
Tactics are the concrete, observable tools and practices teams use. Strategies are the overarching action statements connecting tactics and habits. Habits are the enduring behaviors teams develop through continued and correct use of strategies. Together, they lead to improved outcomes including safety, reliability, and resilience.
The Six Core Strategies
Plan Forward
Reflect Back
Test Change
Communicate Effectively
Appreciate Expertise
Manage Professionalism
Plan Forward
Planning forward is the proactive process of anticipating potential problems and preparing responses before they occur. Rather than being reactive to situations and events, the team works to be proactive — increasing the likelihood that decisions will be thoughtful, intentional, and systematic, rather than last minute and isolated.
Reflect Back
Reflecting back involves intentionally revisiting past actions, decisions, or events — especially those that didn't go as planned — to understand what happened, why it happened, and how to improve. Making a mistake does not guarantee learning, but processing a mistake is foundational to learning and improvement.
"Expressing vulnerability through transparent discussion of mistakes is a display of great professionalism and courage." — Edmondson, 2019
Test Change
Testing change refers to the intentional introduction of small, temporary modifications to routine work practices. Implementation science is the study of what factors promote and accelerate successful, scalable, and sustainable improvements. Empowering teams to collaborate and conduct "small tests of change" is central to safe, effective, reliable teamwork.
Communicate Effectively
Human service work can be high-risk, interdependent, and fast-paced. Professionals need to work seamlessly to make safe decisions, and vital decision-makers may not even have previously met one another (Edmondson, 2019). Safe, engaged teaming requires teammates to know one another's unique skills.
Appreciate Expertise
Appreciation is more than politeness — it's a deliberate practice that strengthens relationships, builds trust, and enhances team performance. Research involving nurses found even physical advantages (improved sleep quality, fewer headaches, healthier eating) to receiving appreciation in the workplace, because appreciation increased job satisfaction (Starkey et al., 2019).
Manage Professionalism
Managing professionalism emphasizes that effective teamwork depends on a balance of honesty (candor) and mutual respect. A silent workforce cannot make safe choices, but an overly aggressive and confrontational one cannot either. Candor and respect are preconditions to safe, engaged teamwork (Lencioni, 2012; Patterson et al., 2012).
Tactic Categories
The TeamFirst Field Guide includes a wide range of tools and tactics organized into five functional categories that reflect the natural flow of team learning and improvement. This progression begins with foundational practices and builds toward deeper reflection, problem-solving, and systemic change.
🟢 Easy / Low
- Huddles
- I'M SAFE
- 3 Good Things
- Managing UP
- Intentional Affirmations
🟡 Moderate / Medium
- SBAR, IPASS, STEP
- Structured Debriefs
- PMI
- Contingency Planning
- PDSA Cycles
🔴 Difficult / High
- Fishbone / 5 Why's
- Systems Mapping
- Driver Diagram
- Balanced Accountability
- QI Advocacy Matrix
All Five Categories
- Foundational Team Practices
- Risk Awareness & Reflection
- Problem Identification & Analysis
- Improvement & Implementation
- Culture & Resilience
Core Daily Routines
These are the core routines that create structure, clarity, and shared awareness in daily work. They help teams stay aligned, anticipate needs, and communicate effectively. Essential for building psychological safety and operational readiness.
Huddles
Team huddles are brief, focused meetings designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and planning. They provide a structured environment to share updates, discuss challenges, and plan future actions. By fostering psychological safety, huddles help identify potential risks and develop effective strategies.
Key Concepts (PREP)
15-Minute Huddle
- Opening — 2 min: Greeting & purpose
- Review — 3 min: Previous actions
- Discussion — 5 min: Current topics
- Planning — 3 min: Next steps
- Closing — 2 min: Summarize
30-Minute Huddle
- Opening — 3 min
- Check-In Activity — 5 min
- Review — 5 min
- Discussion — 10 min
- Planning — 5 min
- Closing — 2 min
Tips for Successful Huddles
Scene Safety Guidelines
Scene safety actually begins prior to arriving on the scene — it is about thoughtful preparation and planning before you ever reach the home. Think EMS arriving on a scene: their first priority is to not add another victim. Only if you have assessed the scene to be safe, do you approach.
General Scene Safety (5 Areas)
Personal Safety First
Assess before entering. Use PPE. Stay alert; continuously reassess for new or evolving threats.
Environmental Awareness
Scan for hazards. Secure the scene if possible. Know your exits at all times.
Communication
Notify others of scene status. Use clear, calm language. Coordinate with other responders.
Client and Bystander Safety
Triage and prioritize. De-escalate when possible. Maintain safe physical boundaries.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Respect confidentiality. Follow protocols. Document thoroughly.
Ways to Prepare
I'M SAFE
The I'M SAFE checklist is a self-analysis tool originally designed for pilots to evaluate fitness to fly — adapted for any safety-critical professional role. Supervisors who demonstrate care and concern typically have employees who feel more connected and psychologically safe at work.
Interactive I'M SAFE Check
🛡️ Personal Readiness Check
CUS — Speak Up Framework
The CUS tool helps team members speak up about safety concerns in a structured, non-confrontational way. Teams with a strong safety culture embrace "speaking up" behaviors. To make this easier, CUS provides signal words that immediately alert team members to a safety issue.
Assertive statements follow the "two challenge rule" — it is our responsibility to assertively voice a safety concern at least twice. The team member being challenged must acknowledge the concern.
CUS in Practice
SBAR
SBAR is a structured method for conveying critical information clearly and efficiently in high-stakes or multidisciplinary environments. Originally developed in healthcare, it is now widely used across all helping professions.
SBAR Example — Social Work
I PASS — Handoff Communication
I PASS is a structured handoff method to ensure safe, clear, consistent transfer of responsibilities — especially during shift changes, interagency referrals, or case reassignments.
STEP — Situational Awareness
STEP is a concise structured method for quickly and clearly communicating current status — ideal for fast-paced, multidisciplinary, or high-stakes environments where clarity and brevity are essential.
Briefs
A brief is a structured, purposeful conversation used to share, clarify, and coordinate case-specific information among team members. A brief can be requested by any team member at any time. Clients such as youth and parents may also request briefs.
4 Cs of Communication
The 4 Cs underpin all strategies related to communicating effectively. They ensure vital information gets handed off to the right person, the right way, at the right time, in a manner supporting memory retention.
Clear
Avoid jargon. Be professional. Ensure the message is unambiguous.
Concise
Shorter is better. Brief information is easier to retain and use.
Comprehensive
The balance to being concise — keep it short, but include all crucial content.
Congruent
Words match body language and expression. Pay attention to non-verbal cues — much of communication is non-verbal.
Managing UP
"Managing up" means speaking positively of colleagues and genuinely expressing their strengths to others. It builds trust, eases transitions for clients and colleagues, and sets the stage for strong engagement.
Level 1: Team Member → Team Member
"You'll be working with Jordan on the Smith case. Jordan has a great rapport with teens and is incredibly resourceful when it comes to connecting families with community supports."
Level 2: Team Member → Client
"You'll be meeting with Ms. Lopez next week. She's been with our agency for several years and is known for her compassionate approach and deep understanding of family dynamics."
Learning from Experience
This category focuses on identifying vulnerabilities, learning from mistakes, and fostering a culture of openness. These tools help teams reflect on what went wrong — and what went right — so they can adapt and improve together.
Contingency Planning
A reflective mental strategy where you imagine a future state when a plan has been put into place but failed. In some cases, we know how a plan is likely to fail — taking time to think through likely failures gives an opportunity to proactively create safeguards.
Plan
Develop a plan to respond to the event or concerns.
Imagine
Imagine the plan has failed.
Brainstorm
What are all the things that could go wrong?
Revisit
With identified failure modes, revise the plan to include contingency responses.
Interactive Template
📋 Contingency Planning Template
Structured Debriefs
A structured debrief is a guided, intentional conversation held after an event or task — especially one that was challenging or unexpected. The goal is learning and growth, not shame and blame.
It is important to communicate in advance what events will trigger debriefing. Not communicating this can make the process feel less psychologically safe — team members may worry debriefings only occur when the supervisor believes a mistake was made.
Debrief Template
🔄 Structured Debrief
Plus-Minus-Interesting (PMI)
Developed by Edward de Bono, PMI is a reflective thinking strategy that prompts teams to retrospectively consider multiple perspectives when evaluating situations or events. It helps teams collaborate on problem solving and maintain an open mind.
Interactive PMI Tool
OSSCR — Difficult Conversations
OSSCR is a framework for approaching difficult conversations with empathy, clarity, and a focus on solutions. Before a conversation about a concerning behavior, ask yourself why a reasonable person would do the problematic thing. Being candid and respectful is key to psychologically safe conversations.
Healthy feedback is: Timely, Respectful, Specific, Framed as an opportunity, and Considerate. It is both 100% candid and 100% respectful.
The Red Ball
The Red Ball (Ebert & Kuhn, 2017) is a metaphor for emotions — especially the way we manage stress, anxiety, and fatigue. The goal is to keep the ball centered: somewhere between "the head and the heart" — where feelings are energized, psychologically safe, thoughtful, and responsive. This is called the "safety zone."
| Ball Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Thrown at others | Aggressive, yelling, blaming |
| ⬆️ Ball is too high | Stressed, frustrated, or anxious |
| ✅ Ball in safety zone | Emotionally regulated, responsive |
| ⬇️ Ball is too low | Exhausted, or resigned |
| 🤜 Held too tight | Guarded, isolating, "putting up walls" |
Strategies for Keeping Your Red Ball in the Safety Zone
The Substitution Test
A thought experiment that helps assess the nature of a problem in safety-critical situations. People can quickly jump to blaming individuals when things go awry; the substitution test serves as a check on that impulse.
The core question: Would three other individuals with similar experience, in a similar situation and environment, act in the same manner as the person being evaluated?
If YES → System Problem
The problem is not the individual but more likely an environment that would lead most people to the same action. Focus improvement on the system.
If NO → Individual Accountability
If similarly experienced individuals would not have acted the same, individual accountability may be more appropriate — whether through services, coaching, or formal action.
Balanced Accountability Guide
Intended for use by leadership teams to discern how accountable a system, in contrast to a professional, may be for an action or inaction. Sanctioning professionals for well-intentioned, commonplace actions can have a chilling effect on workforce culture — creating psychological fear instead of safety. Accountability and psychological safety live side-by-side in healthy organizations.
Following a Poor Outcome, Ask These Six Questions
Actions and Consequences
Did the professional intend both the action and the consequence? Situations where both are intended are rare but require swift action.
Substitution Test
Did the professional intend to depart from standard practice? Would other professionals have likely made the same decision given the same stressors, knowledge, and environment?
Impairment
Was the professional experiencing impairment near the time of the action? If so, what is the context, and is it possible to safely give help?
Knowledge
Did the professional have the needed knowledge-at-hand? Does the agency have gaps in how knowledge is assessed, developed, and shared?
Stressors
To what degree was stress, burnout, or fatigue a factor? Were there heightened stressors in the workplace at the time?
History of Unsafe Acts
Does this professional have a history of unsafe behaviors? If so, has feedback been given and were interventions put in place?
Restorative Accountability
Restorative accountability emphasizes repairing harm, rebuilding trust, and learning from mistakes rather than simply punishing wrongdoing. "In a restorative culture, an account is a story to be told — something to help us learn and get better." (Dekker, 2007)
| Restorative Approach | Retributive Approach |
|---|---|
| Who was harmed? What do they need now? | Who broke which rule? What is the proportional punishment? |
| Focus: Healing and repair | Focus: Punishment and deterrence |
| Goal: Accountability through understanding and amends | Goal: Accountability through consequences |
| Process: Dialogue, reflection, collaborative problem-solving | Process: Investigation, judgment, and penalty |
| View of mistakes: Opportunities for growth and repair | View of mistakes: Violations deserving punishment |
Diagnosing Before Solving
These tools help teams dig deeper into recurring issues, uncover root causes, and understand how systems and processes contribute to outcomes. Essential for diagnosing problems before jumping to solutions.
Gemba Walk / Fly on the Wall
Gemba (Japanese for "the real place") walks are a simple and powerful lean method to promote continuous quality improvement. The goal is to observe, learn, and listen — eliminating incorrect assumptions about how the work is actually done.
A Gemba Walk is NOT a time to find fault, call employees out, quickly implement change, or disregard employee input.
Prepare
Come with questions in advance. Consider a checklist to ensure all points are observed.
Schedule
Inform employees in advance so they feel as comfortable as possible.
Observe
The goal is to observe and gather information. Do not correct during the walk.
Record
Write down observations. Take pictures of the process if appropriate.
Share Learning Points
Share with the team what was learned. Include issues, struggles, and gaps. Determine next steps.
5 Why's
A straightforward yet effective problem-solving method that identifies the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking "why." Starting with the initial problem, you ask "why" up to five times — each answer forming the basis of the next question.
Interactive 5 Why's Tool
🔍 5 Why's Worksheet
SWOT Analysis
A strategic planning tool to identify and evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to a project or organization. Pulls information from internal and external sources; works best with diverse groups.
SWOT Template
📊 SWOT Analysis
Value Stream Mapping
A lean-management method used to analyze, design, and improve the flow of materials and information. Provides teams with a big picture of a process and links the flow of materials, documents, information, and people into one visual representation. Useful for identifying and eliminating waste.
Identify the Process
Determine the product or service and the range of activities involved in its delivery.
Map the Current State
Create a visual of the current process. Include all steps, flow, and time at each stage. Add a timeline at the bottom.
Analyze for Waste
Identify areas of waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies in the current state.
Design the Future State
Based on analysis, design a future state that minimizes waste and optimizes flow.
Implement
Implement the changes necessary to transition from current to future state.
Process Mapping
A visual representation of a workflow or problem — outlining all steps, decisions, and activities in a detailed, structured way. Also known as a flowchart. Used to gain comprehensive understanding of how a process currently functions before making improvements.
Systems Mapping (AcciMap)
A visual representation of a complex socio-technical system, illustrating systemic factors that influence outcomes and the interconnections between them. Also known as an AcciMap, it is structured from the bottom up — starting with improvement opportunities and building upward through professional, team, office, central office, external entity, and government/legislative levels.
Systems factors at high levels trickle down and are reflected in human factors, decisions, and actions at lower levels. Conversely, information at the lower levels must travel up the hierarchy to inform decisions at higher levels.
Bottleneck Analysis
A method used to identify the part of a process or system that is limiting overall performance. A bottleneck is the slowest or most constrained step in a workflow, and it often determines the maximum capacity of the entire system. Bottlenecks generally occur due to limited resources, inefficient workflows, or technology.
Map the Process
Visualize the entire workflow or system.
Measure Performance
Track time, capacity, or output at each step.
Identify the Bottleneck
Look for the step with the longest wait times, highest backlog, or lowest capacity.
Analyze the Cause
Determine why the bottleneck exists — lack of resources, outdated equipment, inefficient procedures.
Implement Solutions
Add resources, automate tasks, or redesign the process. Monitor results.
Translating Insights into Action
These tools support teams in designing, testing, and scaling changes. They help translate insights into action and ensure that improvements are intentional, measurable, and sustainable.
Implementation Science
Implementation science is the study of methods and strategies that facilitate the uptake of evidence-based practices into routine practice. It answers the question: "How do we ensure that what works in theory actually works in real-world environments?"
Without implementation science, proven interventions may never reach the people who need them. Resources may be wasted on poorly executed programs. Health and social disparities may persist due to inconsistent application of best practices.
Three Guiding Questions
Aim / Goal
What is our overall aim or goal? What are we trying to accomplish?
Ideas
What are our ideas for strategies, tools, or practices? What changes can we test that will result in improvement?
Desired Outcome
How will we know a change is an improvement?
PDSA Cycles
Rather than trying to implement something big all at once, the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method tests ideas quickly on a small scale. PDSA cycles can be proposed by any team member and are intended as a check to see if a new idea will result in improvements.
PDSA Worksheet
🔬 PDSA Worksheet
Driver Diagram
A simple visual diagram of what is theorized to "drive" a goal or achievement. It organizes and justifies changes a team wants to make, and provides a shared understanding of the system for communicating with stakeholders.
Because no single person usually understands every part of a complex system, it's important to involve team members with diverse perspectives when developing the diagram.
Project Bundle
A structured approach that organizes initiatives into three domains to ensure they are holistic, sustainable, and human-centered: People, Organization, and Learning Systems.
People Domain
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Values & Beliefs
- Well-being & Support
- Communication Practices
Organization Domain
- Governance & Decision-Making
- Policies & Procedures
- Resource Allocation
- Accountability Systems
Learning Systems Domain
- Data & Feedback Loops
- Professional Development
- Reflective Practices
- Innovation & Adaptation
Project Bundle Rating Scale
A structured tool used to assess the quality, completeness, and alignment of a project across the three core domains. Each item is rated on a 5-point scale. The goal is honest assessment — needs will highlight opportunities to strengthen your project.
| Domain / Item | 5 Exemplary | 4 Proficient | 3 Developing | 2 Emerging | 1 Not Present |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People Domain | |||||
| Leadership commitment | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Team Capacity | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Project Champions Skills | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Organization Domain | |||||
| Goal alignment | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Policy Alignment | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Team resources | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Learning Systems Domain | |||||
| Measurement and metrics | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Data review processes | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Professional training | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Hexagon Tool
A structured decision-making framework from implementation science used to evaluate the fit and feasibility of new or existing programs before full-scale implementation. Teams rate six dimensions on a 1–5 scale.
Need
Does the program address a documented need? Is there data to support this?
Fit
How well does the program align with current priorities, initiatives, and values?
Resources
Are funding, staff, time, and materials available to support implementation?
Evidence
What is the strength and relevance of the evidence supporting the program's effectiveness?
Readiness for Replication
Is the program well-defined with clear materials, training, and support?
Capacity to Implement
Does your organization have the infrastructure, leadership, and staff to implement successfully?
Quality Improvement Advocacy Matrix
A strategic tool to align quality improvement (QI) initiatives with advocacy efforts. After establishing recurrence likelihood — and with proximity to an outcome as established by the SSIT — QI professionals can use the matrix to identify and advocate for priority improvement opportunities (IOs).
| Proximity × Recurrence | Recommended Response |
|---|---|
| Proximal + Likely to Recur (High Priority) | Immediate system-level action required. Direct QI resources here first. |
| Not Proximal + Likely to Recur (Moderate Priority) | System-level QI resources warranted. Compare with other system data before acting. |
| Proximal + Unlikely to Recur (Case-Level) | Suitable for case-level support. May be an isolated or unusual problem. |
| Not Proximal + Unlikely to Recur (Low Priority) | Monitor. Lower priority for finite QI resources. |
Strengthening the Team's Fabric
These practices strengthen the emotional and relational fabric of teams. They promote gratitude, trust, and connection — key ingredients for resilience in high-stress environments.
Resilience Rounds
Structured, team-based conversations designed to support emotional well-being, strengthen psychological safety, and improve team performance. Resilience Rounds provide an opportunity for senior leaders to interact directly with frontline professionals. They are not therapy sessions, but peer-supported spaces for connection, validation, and growth.
"When I heard my supervisor talk about how hard that call was for them too, I felt less alone."
Resilience Rounds Worksheet
💬 Resilience Round — Discussion Guide
Start by demonstrating appreciation: "Thank you for your work. I appreciate your…"
Tips for Leading Effective Resilience Rounds
Intentional Affirmations
Specific, sincere, and strategic acknowledgments of a person's strengths, efforts, or contributions. Unlike vague praise ("Good job"), intentional affirmations are targeted and meaningful, helping individuals understand what they did well and why it matters.
Intentional affirmations are best when unique to the individual, administered personally (e.g., a handwritten note), and given freely at irregular intervals — not in a regimented or scheduled way.
How Leaders Can Use Them
Three Good Things
An evidence-based exercise in positive psychology (Rippstein-Leuenberger et al., 2017). It trains your mind to focus on positives — countering the natural cognitive bias toward negative experiences. Each team member reflects on and shares three positive things that happened during the day or shift.
By practicing Three Good Things before bedtime, you unconsciously train your mind to acknowledge and recall positive experiences. It lessens fatigue and burnout.
Interactive Tool
✨ Three Good Things
These can be small wins, meaningful interactions, or moments of pride.
References
Dekker, S. (2007). Just culture: Balancing safety and accountability. Ashgate.
Dekker, S. (2014). The field guide to understanding human error. CRC Press.
Ebert, J., & Kuhn, T. (2017, March). Response flexibility: Strategies for navigating conflict. Presentation at the Multidisciplinary Perioperative Morbidity & Mortality Improvement Conference, Nashville, TN.
Edmondson, A. (2019). The fearless organization. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Hilton K., & Anderson A. (2018). IHI psychology of change framework to advance and sustain improvement. Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team. Jossey-Bass.
Metz, A., et al. (2021). Implementation practice in human service systems. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 45(3), 238–259.
Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations. McGraw-Hill.
Perlo, J., et al. (2017). IHI framework for improving joy in work. IHI White Paper. Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Rippstein-Leuenberger, K., Mauthner, O., Sexton, B. (2017). A qualitative analysis of the Three Good Things intervention in healthcare workers. BMJ Open, 7(5).
Starkey, A., Mohr, C., Cadiz, D., & Sinclair, R. (2019). Gratitude reception and physical health. The Journal of Positive Psychology.
Vogus, T.J., & Sutcliffe, K.M. (2007). The impact of safety organizing, trusted leadership, and care pathways on reported medication errors in hospital nursing units. Medical Care, 45(10), 997–1002.
Tennessee Department of Children Services. (2017). Safety Culture Toolkit.
Acknowledgments
A large number of individuals have collaborated in the development of the TeamFirst Field Guide. Special acknowledgement belongs to Tennessee Department of Children's Services, who, with the support of Casey Family Programs, first tested some of these strategies with their workforce.
This reference guide represents the curation, adaptation, and development of a set of strategies, tools, and tactics that support more safe, effective, and reliable team-driven casework. The history of this approach traces to aviation's Crew Resource Management and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's TeamSTEPPS and CUSP.
The copyright for the TeamFirst Field Guide is held by the Center for the Helping Professions to allow for its continued development and ensure it remains free to use. For specific permission to use, please contact the Center for the Helping Professions.
Contact
Cull & Lindsey, 2019–2025
Center for the Helping Professions
Michael Cull, PhD — President/CEO
Tiffany Lindsey, EdD, LPC/MHSP — Chief Operations Officer
www.centerforthehelpingprofessions.org