Learning to Communicate in Multidisciplinary Teams

Original Air Date: June 8, 2011
Expiration Date: June 6, 2012
Contact Hours: Earn 1.5 Contact Hours
Level: Core
Cost: $119 Regular Rate; $79 Member Rate

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Who Will Benefit
This activity is intended for: Clinical Research Associates (CRAs), Senior CRAs, Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), Clinical Research Administrators, Principal Investigators, Project Directors, Project Managers working for Biotech Companies, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), and Site Management Organizations (SMOs).

Program Description
Innovative clinical research is dependent on multi-disciplinary teams to envision, design and implement complex research protocols. The varied backgrounds and approaches can also cause clashes within a team, when team members from one field have trouble communicating with team members from other fields. Each team member brings not only the knowledge of their field, but also the norms and behaviors socialized into their field. Those contrasting norms can cause more than frustrations; they can be a serious detriment to team function. Team communication and collaboration can be particularly difficult when team members seek to protect their own power, control and authority.

This webinar will examine communication theory, group and team dynamics and how education and training influence communication behavior. The presentation will also examine how specific communication behaviors, such as use of direct language and non-verbal cues, impact clinical research team function. Successful conflict resolution techniques will also be discussed. Drawing from her experiences as a clinical research coordinator and communication scholar, the presenter will give real-life examples to study how group dynamics can influence communication and team productivity. Effective team communication enhances team functioning and can strengthen team members’ attachment and commitment to the team. Therefore, the goal of the presentation is to identify potential barriers to communication and team functioning and develop strategies for overcoming barriers and maximizing the benefits of a multi-disciplinary clinical research team.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, attendees should be able to:

• Identify barriers to effective team functioning
• Assess how different disciplinary backgrounds impact communication behavior and team dynamics
• Develop strategies for overcoming the barriers to effective team communication and function

Presenter
Stephanie Christopher, MA, CCRC, is a Research Laboratory Supervisor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and an adjunct instructor at Marquette University. She has worked as both a research coordinator and collaborator on a number of studies to assess and improve how physicians communicate with patients and families. In addition to coordinating studies, Stephanie plays an active role in designing communication studies, contributing to grant proposals, and writing research protocols and journal articles. Stephanie has an extensive background in communication theory and education, as well as experience facilitating the work of a large multi-disciplinary research team.

Disclosure Statement
Ms. Christopher states that she has no actual or potential financial conflict of interest in relation to this educational activity.

Accreditation Information

Continuing Nursing Education
The California Board of Registered Nursing approves the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) as a provider of continuing nursing education. ACRP’s webinar program provides 1.5 contact hours of continuing nursing education credit (Program Number 11147-2011-REP-312).

Association of Clinical Research Professionals
The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) provides 1.5 continuing education credits for the completion of this educational activity with the completion of the online evaluation form.  These credits can be used to meet the certification maintenance requirement (Program Number ACRP-2011-REP-312).

Continuing education credits/contact hours are awarded with the completion of an online evaluation form, which must be completed prior to the product’s expiration date. Upon submission of the evaluation form, a link to the printable certificate will be made available on the attendee’s My Tests, Evaluations & Certificates page.