TeamSTEPPS® toolkit:
Task Assistance

Tutor notes

Estimated module duration: 15 minutes

Healthcare professionals operate under immense pressure, juggling multiple responsibilities while managing critical patient needs. Systemic challenges like burnout, staff shortages and hierarchical communication barriers can create invisible walls that prevent teams from functioning at their best. 

The TeamSTEPPSⓇ Task Assistance technique deconstructs these walls, creating a culture where offering and requesting assistance are a demonstration of professional strength and commitment to patient care.

This module gives nurses and healthcare professionals the tools they need to foster a positive, collaborative culture rooted in situational awareness and nuanced communication. It isn't solely about spotting when someone needs help, but rather understanding the subtle dynamics of team performance and communication styles to prevent any unspoken pressures, which can compromise patient safety.

About this resource

This document provides an overview of each of the learning activities featured in this programme, including:
Key learner outcome and goals
Purpose of the activities
Estimated duration
Characters
Environments
Video walkthroughs
Journal entries

Key learner outcome and goals

Learning outcome

Become a team member who understands and practices the principles of affirming Task Assistance.

Learning goals

  • Recognize supportive and unsupportive teamwork behaviors according to Task Assistance
  • Demonstrate the ability to use supportive Task Assistance behaviors in clinical practice

A word about terminology

As a medium, Virtual Reality is not best suited to didactic teaching methods.

However, our intention is that all Bodyswaps modules follow a student-centered constructivist pedagogy. This means creating rich experiences in which learners can explore key concepts and ideas and reach their own conclusions.

This is why our documents speak in terms of learning goals and outcomes, rather than measurable ‘learning objectives’ (a la Bloom’s Taxonomy) per se. 

What is TeamSTEPPS®?

TeamSTEPPSⓇ – Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety 3.0 – is an industry-recognised, evidence-based collection of teamwork tools and techniques. It’s designed to optimize collaboration between healthcare staff and improve the delivery of care.

This module gives learners a safe space to learn and practice a key Mutual Support skill from the TeamSTEPPSⓇ framework: Task Assistance. 

We worked with subject matter expert Sam Smith – Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist and TeamSTEPPSⓇ master trainer (completed training 3.0) – to ensure the medical scenarios and application of the technique in this module are realistic and engaging.

TeamSTEPPS® Simulator

Our TeamSTEPPS® Simulator module provides an opportunity for learners to practice five key tools (SBAR, Check-Back, CUS, Task Assistance, and Call-Out) in a series of interactive, true-to-life freeform activities. It’s a virtual roleplaying space where nurses can gain essential experience and build confidence in using the tools.

But nurses have varying levels of preparedness in these tools, and may not be ready to put their skills to the test. 

For that reason, we’ve designed a collection of short modules – our TeamSTEPPS® Toolkit – which act as a companion to the Simulator. The modules in the Toolkit allow nurses to explore the theory behind these five techniques, providing scaffolded learning and practice before or after they enter the TeamSTEPPS® Simulator. This module takes a closer look at Task Assistance. 

Aside from a playground in which nurses can hone their skills, the TeamSTEPPS® Simulator can also be used as a competency test for assessing performance before and after enrollment in the TeamSTEPPS® Toolkit modules. All learners who play the Simulator receive an LLM-powered personalized report of their overall use of the tools, helping you understand where they excel and where they may need further training and practice.

Module structure

The complete journey takes the learner through two interactive topics, as well as ancillary activities such as introduction, self-reflection, debrief and the exit survey.

It is a linear experience, meaning the learner will be guided step by step through all the activities by the virtual coaches.

We recommend that learners fully interact with each activity to get the full benefit.

It is estimated that each topic will take the learner approximately 5 minutes to complete, although completion times vary depending on whether the learner chooses to fine-tune their freeform responses.

Learner journey

Introduction and self-reflection
Next topic
Topic 1: Identify supportive and unsupportive behaviors
Dual category observation
Next topic
Topic 2: Demonstrate the principles of Task Assistance
Evaluated conversation (a gauge activity)
Next topic
Debrief and self-reflection
Next topic
Exit survey
Next topic

Characters

NurseSam_Avatar
Nurse Sam
Virtual coach
Nurse_Carlos_Avatar
Nurse Carlos
Virtual coach
113_Nurse_Kayla_Avatar_Female 4_1x
Nurse Kayla
Team member - a nurse at Summerview Hospital
101_Rohan_Avatar_Male 1_1x
Nurse Zac
Team member - a nurse at Summerview Hospital
97_NursePeter_Avatar_Male (3)
Nurse Peter
Team member - a nurse at Summerview Hospital

Environments

Hospital tutor room

Hospital tutor room

A professional, yet cozy office space in the fictional setting of Summerview Hospital, where virtual coaches Nurse Sam and Nurse Carlos run their TeamSTEPPS® Training Program.
Central nursing station (1)

Central nursing station

The central administrative working area for nurses at Summerview Hospital, connecting to various patient rooms. Here, the learner will observe an interaction between Nurse Kayla, Nurse Zac and Nurse Peter, where the team tries to help Kayla with an issue on the Electronic Medical Record system.