The local cancer center has a health team designed to coordinate the care of chi
ID: 455408 • Letter: T
Question
The local cancer center has a health team designed to coordinate the care of children with cancer. The team is composed of a physician, Dr. SherifHidyat (a clinical oncologist); a radiologist, Dr. Wayne Linett; a nurse practitioner, Sharon Whittling; a social worker, Cathy Ing; a physical therapist, Nancy Crosby; and a child life worker, Janet Lewis. The team members meet on a weekly basis to discuss the 18 children under their care and agree on the best course of treatment for each child. Cathy Ing, the social worker, is the head of the team and is responsible for the case management of each child. However, when the team meets, Drs. Hidyat and Linett dominate the conversation. They feel that their medical background gives them greater knowledge and skill in treating cancer in children. They welcome input from the women in the group. When it comes to making a decision, however, they insist on doing it their way for the good of the patient. Cathy Ing (the social worker), Janet Lewis (the child life worker), Nancy Crosby (the physical therapist), and Sharon Whittling (the nurse practitioner) resent this behavior because they are the health care workers who spend the most time with the children and feel that they know best how to handle their long-term care. As a result, the patients feel as if no one cares or understands them. The team is also having trouble working together, and no one on the team is satisfied with the outcome.
Questions
1. How would you assess the effectiveness of this team?
2. In monitoring this team, at what level and function do you see the most serious problems? Internal task? Internal relational? External?
3. Would you take action to improve team functioning? If so, how would you intervene? Why?
4. What specific leadership skill or skills would you use to improve group functioning?
Explanation / Answer
How would you assess the effectiveness of this team?
The team is not affective because when it comes to decision making only 2 people have the final word no matter the opinion of the other members
In monitoring this team, at what level and function do you see the most serious problems? Internal task? Internal relational? External?
Internal relational
Would you take action to improve team functioning? If so, how would you intervene? Why?
Yes, I would encourage every team member to bring their opinion on each case and provide what they think is the best course of action, remember that there are team members that spend more time with the children but have less authority on the meetings and their input in vital to choose the correct treatment
What specific leadership skill or skills would you use to improve group functioning?
It is important to delegate and listen to everyone, those I believe are the important leadership skills on this situation. For example on week 1 one of the team members will be in charge of the meeting and providing solution to the problems, next week will be someone else
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