The purpose of this process improvement project was to implement a test of change within a healthcare team utilizing applied improvisational exercises (AIEs), and to lay the groundwork for more effective inter- and intra-professional communication.
Literature review: AIEs have been shown to facilitate individual participant communication strengths through a process of un-learning certain common behavioral habits, and learning new habits that assist in creating and expanding closed-loop communication. Such un-learning and learning enriches the participant’s awareness of the environment and encourages participant adaptability through positive group interactions.
Method: An all-day AIE seminar/workshop was conducted with members of two healthcare teams that work closely together. The course included exercises to enhance situational awareness of non-verbal communication, listening skills, ability to establish trust in a new environment, spontaneity, ability to accept new information, memory, willingness to contribute ideas, self-confidence in group interactions, and creative problem solving.
Results: Attendee’s post-seminar surveys showed solid enthusiasm for the AIE-based learning process.
Conclusion: Teams that train with AIEs are able to facilitate bridging the inter- and intra-professional healthcare communication gap and improve patient safety and satisfaction.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this process improvement project was to implement a test of change within a healthcare team utilizing <em>applied improvisational exercises </em>(AIEs), and to lay the groundwork for more effective inter- and intra-professional communication. </p> <p><strong>Literature review:</strong> AIEs have been shown to facilitate individual participant communication strengths through a process of un-learning certain common behavioral habits, and learning new habits that assist in creating and expanding closed-loop communication. Such un-learning and learning enriches the participant’s awareness of the environment and encourages participant <em>adaptability</em> through positive group interactions. </p> <p><strong>Method: </strong>An<strong> </strong>all-day AIE seminar/workshop was conducted with members of two healthcare teams that work closely together. The course included exercises to enhance situational awareness of non-verbal communication, listening skills, ability to establish trust in a new environment, spontaneity, ability to accept new information, memory, willingness to contribute ideas, self-confidence in group interactions, and creative problem solving. </p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>Attendee’s post-seminar surveys showed solid enthusiasm for the AIE-based learning process. </p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Teams that train with AIEs are able to facilitate bridging the inter- and intra-professional healthcare communication gap and improve patient safety and satisfaction.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Campbell, Candace A"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)","degree_level":"Project","degree_discipline":"Nursing","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Amy Nichols, EdD, RN","Elena Capella, PhD, RN, CNL","Dianne Moore, PhD, RN, CNM"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-05-05T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-05-05T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:50Z","subjects":["applied improvisational exercises","medical improv","complex adaptive systems","interprofessional communication","communication skills","teambuilding","Cognition and Perception","Counselor Education","Educational Sociology","Health Communication","Health Policy","Health Psychology","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","International and Intercultural Communication","Interpersonal and Small Group Communication","Leadership Studies","Medicine and Health","Medicine and Health Sciences","Organizational Communication","Organization Development","Other Communication","Other Social and Behavioral Sciences","Peace and Conflict Studies","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration","Social Influence and Political Communication","Sociology of Culture"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.usfca.edu/dnp/27","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Amy Nichols, EdD, RN","Elena Capella, PhD, RN, CNL","Dianne Moore, PhD, RN, CNM"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Campbell, Candace A"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-06-03T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Nursing"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Project"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["applied improvisational exercises","medical improv","complex adaptive systems","interprofessional communication","communication skills","teambuilding","Cognition and Perception","Counselor Education","Educational Sociology","Health Communication","Health Policy","Health Psychology","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","International and Intercultural Communication","Interpersonal and Small Group Communication","Leadership Studies","Medicine and Health","Medicine and Health Sciences","Organizational Communication","Organization Development","Other Communication","Other Social and Behavioral Sciences","Peace and Conflict Studies","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration","Social Influence and Political Communication","Sociology of Culture"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://repository.usfca.edu/dnp/27"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this process improvement project was to implement a test of change within a healthcare team utilizing applied improvisational exercises (AIEs), and to lay the groundwork for more effective inter- and intra-professional communication.
Literature review: AIEs have been shown to facilitate individual participant communication strengths through a process of un-learning certain common behavioral habits, and learning new habits that assist in creating and expanding closed-loop communication. Such un-learning and learning enriches the participant’s awareness of the environment and encourages participant adaptability through positive group interactions.
Method: An all-day AIE seminar/workshop was conducted with members of two healthcare teams that work closely together. The course included exercises to enhance situational awareness of non-verbal communication, listening skills, ability to establish trust in a new environment, spontaneity, ability to accept new information, memory, willingness to contribute ideas, self-confidence in group interactions, and creative problem solving.
Results: Attendee’s post-seminar surveys showed solid enthusiasm for the AIE-based learning process.
Conclusion: Teams that train with AIEs are able to facilitate bridging the inter- and intra-professional healthcare communication gap and improve patient safety and satisfaction.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Improv to Improve Interprofessional Communication, Team Building, Patient Safety, and Patient Satisfaction"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Amy Nichols, EdD, RN","Elena Capella, PhD, RN, CNL","Dianne Moore, PhD, RN, CNM"],"dc:creator":["Campbell, Candace A"],"dc:date.available":["2014-06-03T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this process improvement project was to implement a test of change within a healthcare team utilizing applied improvisational exercises (AIEs), and to lay the groundwork for more effective inter- and intra-professional communication.
Literature review: AIEs have been shown to facilitate individual participant communication strengths through a process of un-learning certain common behavioral habits, and learning new habits that assist in creating and expanding closed-loop communication. Such un-learning and learning enriches the participant’s awareness of the environment and encourages participant adaptability through positive group interactions.
Method: An all-day AIE seminar/workshop was conducted with members of two healthcare teams that work closely together. The course included exercises to enhance situational awareness of non-verbal communication, listening skills, ability to establish trust in a new environment, spontaneity, ability to accept new information, memory, willingness to contribute ideas, self-confidence in group interactions, and creative problem solving.
Results: Attendee’s post-seminar surveys showed solid enthusiasm for the AIE-based learning process.
Conclusion: Teams that train with AIEs are able to facilitate bridging the inter- and intra-professional healthcare communication gap and improve patient safety and satisfaction.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://repository.usfca.edu/dnp/27"],"dc:subject":["applied improvisational exercises","medical improv","complex adaptive systems","interprofessional communication","communication skills","teambuilding","Cognition and Perception","Counselor Education","Educational Sociology","Health Communication","Health Policy","Health Psychology","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","International and Intercultural Communication","Interpersonal and Small Group Communication","Leadership Studies","Medicine and Health","Medicine and Health Sciences","Organizational Communication","Organization Development","Other Communication","Other Social and Behavioral Sciences","Peace and Conflict Studies","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration","Social Influence and Political Communication","Sociology of Culture"],"dc:title":["Improv to Improve Interprofessional Communication, Team Building, Patient Safety, and Patient Satisfaction"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Nursing"],"thesis:degree_level":["Project"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:50Z"}