Table 1 Case characteristics

Hospital classification

Model 3- Hospitals that can provide 24-h acute surgery, acute medicine, and critical care.

Model 4- provide tertiary and supra-regional care in addition to 24-h acute surgery, acute medicine, and critical care.

Location

Rural

Urban

Financial and Governance Structure

Statutory hospital- funded and governed by the national government agency, the Health Service Executive.

Voluntary hospital- acquires greater autonomy as owned by a religious order and subsequently reports to a hospital board rather than the Health Service Executive. This hospital type also receives funding from the state.

Hospital size

Approximately 200 bed capacity

Approximately 600 inpatient bed capacity, 85-day bed capacity

Team size

n = 65

n = 73

Team divided across two wards which are located on different levels of the hospital. The nursing staff work permanently on one of the wards while the medical team and the allied healthcare professionals (AHPs) move between units.

Team speciality

Surgical

Medical

Team stability

• Intern: 3-month rotation

• Senior House Officer: biannual rotation

• Registrar: biannual/annual rotation

• AHPs: biannual rotation

• Multi-task attendants: 3-month rotation

• Intern: 3-month rotation

• Senior House Officer: biannual rotation

• Registrar: biannual/annual rotation

• Junior AHPs:4–6-month rotation

Team culture (prior to implementation)

• Hierarchical- within this team some participants felt intimidated or overlooked by their senior colleagues.

• Collective- the team characterised its culture as open, inclusive, and multidisciplinary. However, a divide was acknowledged between the two wards which was recognised as impacting the relationships among staff.