True collaboration is a critical element of a healthy work environment (American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 2016). “True collaboration exists when all team members work as colleagues with the best interest of the patient at the center of care” (Rossow, 2012). While communication may be the lubricant for true collaboration, the goal is much more. Nurses spend as much as 8% of their time coping with system failures (McAlearney & Kovner, 2013). The unavailability of medications, equipment failure and failure to train on new equipment are evidence of the lack of communication. The unit leadership must establish a unit operations group to identify barriers to care and empower the group to solve care issues or elevate them to senior leadership
