Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review
Background: Unlicensed assistive personnel are increasingly employed to support the nursing workforce in providing bedside care. Aim: To scope the literature on the factors influencing teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings Methods: A scoping rev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X25000037 |
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| author | Kang Lynn Wong Wei Ling Chua Peter Griffiths Qin Ling Pearlyn Goh Kye Wern Chelsea Low Jia Qi Apphia Tan Sok Ying Liaw |
| author_facet | Kang Lynn Wong Wei Ling Chua Peter Griffiths Qin Ling Pearlyn Goh Kye Wern Chelsea Low Jia Qi Apphia Tan Sok Ying Liaw |
| author_sort | Kang Lynn Wong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Unlicensed assistive personnel are increasingly employed to support the nursing workforce in providing bedside care. Aim: To scope the literature on the factors influencing teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework. Eight electronic databases were searched from inception of each database to August 2024 to locate studies that reported issues relating to teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel on patient care in general wards of acute care settings. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full text for eligibility. The data were extracted, analysed, and synthesised using the data-based convergent qualitative synthesis Results: Thirty-eight studies were included. Five themes were generated: (1) role clarity, (2) delegation, (3) communication, (4) ward culture and practice, and (5) interpersonal relationships. Challenges in registered nurses–unlicensed assistive teamwork include unclear roles and responsibilities, ineffective delegation, and communication barriers. Work culture that excludes unlicensed assistive personnel from shift handovers were found to hinder shared goals for patient care. The importance of interpersonal relationships between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel was highlighted to aid in the power disparity between them. Conclusions: This review found suboptimal teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel. Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel can be improved through clearly defined roles and responsibilities, better delegation practices, effective communication, and improved interpersonal relationships. Future research should focus on optimising communication processes and enhancing registered nurses’ delegation skills through education. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b1fedc5d919146998f05b56bb47bdab9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-142X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-b1fedc5d919146998f05b56bb47bdab92025-01-23T05:27:44ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Nursing Studies Advances2666-142X2025-06-018100293Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping reviewKang Lynn Wong0Wei Ling Chua1Peter Griffiths2Qin Ling Pearlyn Goh3Kye Wern Chelsea Low4Jia Qi Apphia Tan5Sok Ying Liaw6Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Corresponding author at: Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Level 5, Centre for Translational Medicine (CeTM), Block MD6, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599.School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; International Journal of Nursing Studies, King's College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Nursing, National Healthcare Group, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yishun Health Campus, Singapore, SingaporeAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeAlice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeBackground: Unlicensed assistive personnel are increasingly employed to support the nursing workforce in providing bedside care. Aim: To scope the literature on the factors influencing teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework. Eight electronic databases were searched from inception of each database to August 2024 to locate studies that reported issues relating to teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel on patient care in general wards of acute care settings. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full text for eligibility. The data were extracted, analysed, and synthesised using the data-based convergent qualitative synthesis Results: Thirty-eight studies were included. Five themes were generated: (1) role clarity, (2) delegation, (3) communication, (4) ward culture and practice, and (5) interpersonal relationships. Challenges in registered nurses–unlicensed assistive teamwork include unclear roles and responsibilities, ineffective delegation, and communication barriers. Work culture that excludes unlicensed assistive personnel from shift handovers were found to hinder shared goals for patient care. The importance of interpersonal relationships between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel was highlighted to aid in the power disparity between them. Conclusions: This review found suboptimal teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel. Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel can be improved through clearly defined roles and responsibilities, better delegation practices, effective communication, and improved interpersonal relationships. Future research should focus on optimising communication processes and enhancing registered nurses’ delegation skills through education.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X25000037NursesNursing assistantsNursing staffPatient careRegistered nursesScoping review |
| spellingShingle | Kang Lynn Wong Wei Ling Chua Peter Griffiths Qin Ling Pearlyn Goh Kye Wern Chelsea Low Jia Qi Apphia Tan Sok Ying Liaw Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances Nurses Nursing assistants Nursing staff Patient care Registered nurses Scoping review |
| title | Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review |
| title_full | Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review |
| title_fullStr | Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review |
| title_short | Teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings: A scoping review |
| title_sort | teamwork between registered nurses and unlicensed assistive personnel in acute care settings a scoping review |
| topic | Nurses Nursing assistants Nursing staff Patient care Registered nurses Scoping review |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666142X25000037 |
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