That’s especially true in the Neurobehavioral Specialty Unit at UI Health Care’s university campus in Iowa City, where collaboration across disciplines is essential to supporting patients with a wide range of needs. 

On the unit, nurses, psychologists, aides, behavioral health consultants, teachers, recreational therapists, psychiatrists, and social workers all play a vital role in treating patients with dignity, protecting their safety, and supporting their overall well-being.

For their dedication to each other, the team was recognized with this year’s DAISY Team Award, a recognition program to celebrate nurse-led teams through nominations by co-workers, patients, and families. 

Strong alignment around shared goals and open lines of communication helps foster trust across the unit. One key tool is a Teams message thread — a “living document” to share updates, describe new techniques, and reflect on what worked and what didn’t. In addition to practical insights, the thread has also become a space to celebrate wins, which helps sustain team morale.

Offline, a large whiteboard serves as a brainstorming hub. Team members jot down ideas for therapies or goals they’d like to explore with patients. Together, they talk through what it would take to achieve them, then revisit the discussion later to share feedback and make any necessary adjustments. 

“So many voices come together to make sure we are on the same page,” says Tom Martz, DNP, NEA-BC, director of nursing services for behavioral health. “It’s not always easy, and sometimes it is a moving target, but it is all those voices that make sure we’re not looking at things only through the lens of one discipline.”