# Enhancing Teamwork and Patient Safety Through TeamSTEPPS®: A Scoping Review of Benefits in Academic and Clinical Settings

## TL;DR

This study reviews how the TeamSTEPPS® program improves teamwork and patient safety in healthcare education and practice.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive scoping review of TeamSTEPPS® benefits across academic and clinical settings.

## Key findings

- TeamSTEPPS® improves teamwork and patient safety in both educational and clinical contexts.
- Continuous training with TeamSTEPPS® shows greater long-term effectiveness than short-term training.
- Successful TeamSTEPPS® implementation requires organizational commitment and interprofessional training.

## Abstract

Background: Teamwork promotes the quality and safety of care. The TeamSTEPPS® program enhances communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals and students, as well as the associated benefits. Currently, there are no studies that comprehensively explore the benefits achieved through the implementation of TeamSTEPPS® across different contexts (educational and clinical practice). Objective: This scoping review aimed to map the existing evidence on the benefits of implementing TeamSTEPPS® in educational and professional settings, emphasizing its contribution to sustainable teamwork, patient safety, and organizational learning. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were performed in CINAHL Ultimate, Medline Ultimate, Scopus, the Portuguese Open Access Scientific Repository, Web of Science and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, with no time restrictions. Studies were selected based on the PCC framework, focusing on healthcare students and professionals (Population), TeamSTEPPS® implementation (Concept), and academic or clinical settings (Context). A descriptive and thematic analysis was used, enabling the identification of emerging categories and recurring patterns among the included studies. Results: Twenty-eight articles published between 2009 and 2025, predominantly from the United States of America and conducted in hospital settings, were found. The included studies comprised quantitative (n = 11), qualitative (n = 4) and quasi-experimental study (n = 13) designs. From the analysis, four thematic categories emerged: academic education, interprofessional education and simulation; professional transition and professional development; clinical implementation of the TeamSTEPPS® program in real-world settings; and patient safety culture as a central focus. Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that the TeamSTEPPS® program may strengthen teamwork and promote safe and high-quality care in both educational and clinical settings. While short-term training leads to immediate improvements in team dynamics, continuous training demonstrates greater long-term effectiveness. The consolidation of the TeamSTEPPS® methodology relies on organizational commitment, leadership engagement, and the integration of interprofessional training from the academic level onward.