1 Building and Sustaining Interdisciplinary Research Teams: Strategies for Success Linda Chlan, PhD, RN Annie Heiderscheit, PhD, MT-BC, FAMI, LMFT Debra Skaar, PharmD Mary Fran Tracy, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN Craig Weinert, MD, MPH Research Seminar December 8, 2011

Presentation Overview Challenges and Opportunities Managing conflict Building and coordinating research teams Commitment of members Incentives; financial and professional Best practice exemplars from U of MN Research Team –Voices from the Research Team

Background Presentation focus on team science or Inter- disciplinary science Research team building, development, and sustaining the team ICU care is prime example of inter-disciplinary team work Not a new idea –Manhattan Project (1930’s) –Human Genome (2000)

Nursing Skills to Lead Research Teams Team player Care coordinator Communication skills Listening skills Problem solving Multi-tasking skills Trouble-shooting skills

Collaboration in Team Science Collaboration contains two elements: 1) Cooperation: working together to produce mutual benefit or common purpose 2) Assertiveness: facilitates the exchange of knowledge among professionals Hopkins RO, Spuhler V. Strategies for promoting early activity in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. AACN Advanced Critical Care 2009; 20:

Cooperation versus Collaboration Cooperation: merging of resources; obtain a larger study sample Collaboration: Shared intellectual process; complex process ranging from one discipline to research across disciplines –Researchers work jointly using shared frameworks to address a common problem Potential of the collaborative relationships Ascertain benefits of participation O’Sullivan P, Stoddard H, Kalishman S. Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice. Med Ed 2010; 44:

Collaboration in Team Science Essential elements for effective teams: 1. Shared goals: reason to work together 2. Interdependence: recognition of individuals to arrive at mutual goals 3. Commitment: working together leads to more effective decisions 4. Accountability: shared commitment as a functioning unit Hopkins RO, Spuhler V. Strategies for promoting early activity in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. AACN Advanced Critical Care 2009; 20:

Challenges and Barriers to Collaborative Research Interdisciplinary research is HARD work! Decreased productivity and efficiency Conflict –Personal and professional Lack of preparation in research training programs for interdisciplinary work –Most researchers are trained in “uni-disciplinary” models –“Silos” Academic structures, systems and infrastructure –Rewards, incentives, resources, facilities, budget polices

Management of Collaborative Research Teams Need to effectively harness differences Set defensible boundaries Gain legitimate authorization O’Sullivan P, Stoddard H, Kalishman S. Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice. Med Ed 2010; 44:

Management of Collaborative Research Teams Careful selection of team members Clarification of roles and expectations Facilitate regular communication Develop relationships and trust among team members Examine effectiveness of team functioning Ensure “home” school/college/system is tolerant of collaboration O’Sullivan P, Stoddard H, Kalishman S. Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice. Med Ed 2010; 44:

Promoting Collaborative Research Teams Prior to beginning a study: Clarification of motives, values, beliefs about science Definitions of appropriate data and accepted methods for research Group process and leadership variables –Relationships Along the way: –Clarification, trust, careful feedback –Requires culture change! O’Sullivan P, Stoddard H, Kalishman S. Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice. Med Ed 2010; 44:

Who is driving the bus?

Team Coordination Inform everyone of the goals, timetable, possible obstacles and scientific issues Define each team members role Design communication mechanisms –Meetings, conference calls, progress reports, etc. Plan for success –Determine how significant contributions will be recognized Plan for contingencies –Absence, illness, emergencies or leaving the project

Why Collaborate? Inherent complexity of nature & society –Single discipline cannot solve complex problems alone Desire to explore problems and questions that are not confined to one discipline Need to solve societal problems Stimulus of enhanced technologies O’Sullivan P, Stoddard H, Kalishman S. Collaborative research in medical education: a discussion of theory and practice. Med Ed 2010; 44:

Why Collaborate? Productivity Flexibility NIH recognizes interdisciplinary research teams

Panel Perspectives Why be a member of an interdisciplinary research team? –What attracts you to an interdisciplinary research team? –Incentives and barriers Insight, advice, team experiences –Keys to success –Conflict resolution

Best Practice Exemplar: U of MN Research Team Inter-disciplinary members (R01-NR009295, L. Chlan, PI) Nursing, medicine, pharmacy, music therapy, biomedical engineering, biostats, neuroscience Conflicts and challenges –New NIH PI –Senior team members and egos Resolution strategies

Best Practice Exemplar: U of MN Research Team Inter-disciplinary members Patient-controlled sedation –Nursing, medicine, pharmacy Conflicts and challenges –Funding and Grant submission issues –Grant “home” –Co-PIs; overall responsible PI –Competing priorities –Food & Drug Administration Investigational New Drug (IND) application –Human Subjects issues

Best Practice Exemplar: U of MN Research Team Inter-disciplinary members Patient-controlled sedation –Nursing, medicine, pharmacy Conflicts and challenges –Funding and Grant submission issues –Grant “home” –Co-PIs; overall responsible PI –Competing priorities –Food & Drug Administration Investigational New Drug (IND) application –Human Subjects issues

Best Practice Exemplar: U of MN Research Team Inter-disciplinary members Patient-controlled sedation –Nursing, medicine, pharmacy Conflicts and challenges –Funding and Grant submission issues –Grant “home” –Co-PIs; overall responsible PI –Competing priorities –Food & Drug Administration Investigational New Drug (IND) application –Human Subjects issues

Summary Points Personal relationships are critical to success Institutional culture –Leadership, time, resources –May require culture change Tangible support for collaborative research Value of new knowledge to be gained Value of the professional relationships that might be cultivated –Sustaining teams

“I think it helps enormously to have your own set of colleagues to follow the same path, because no investigators in the current climate can do these things by themselves.” –Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director

DISCUSSION