Measuring shared mental models in healthcare

ObjectiveTo review common qualitative and quantitative methods of measuring shared mental models appropriate for use in the healthcare setting.BackgroundShared mental models are the overlap of individuals’ set of knowledge and/or assumptions that act as the basis for understanding and decision making between individuals. Within healthcare, shared mental models facilitate effective teamwork and theorized to influence clinical decision making and performance. With the current rapid growth and expansion of healthcare teams, it is critical that we understand and correctly use shared mental model measurement methods assess optimal team performance. Unfortunately, agreement on the proper measurement of shared mental models within healthcare remains diffuse.MethodThis paper presents methods appropriate to measure shared mental models within healthcare.ResultsMultiple shared mental model measurement methods are discussed with regard to their utility within this setting, ease of use, and difficulties in deploying ...