Abstract

This study delves into the impact of visibility on fostering teamwork, collaboration, and safety within Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Visibility has been recognized as a key environmental factor in enhancing teamwork and collaboration while mitigating concerns about safety in healthcare facilities. A set of semi-structured interview questions were developed for one-on-one interviews with nurses and physicians at a critical care unit in the Southwest of United States. These interviews focused on four primary areas: visibility, teamwork, collaborative communication, and security. The findings support the existing literature regarding an association between visibility in the ICU and the level of teamwork and collaborative communication among medical staff members. Furthermore, interview participants underscored that increasing visibility could lead to a reduction in safety issues. As one of the few studies that concentrate on the interplay between visibility and behavioral factors, this research offers a valuable model for future research, enabling the exploration of observed reactions and perceptions of medical staff in relation to environmental variables.