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Copyright of Revista Chilena de Cirugia is the property of Sociedad de Cirujanos de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Iranian Journal of Emergency Medicine / Ṭibb-i Urzhāns-i Īrān is the property of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims Considering the importance of medical waste recognition by health centers staffs and its role on maintenance and improvement of social and environmental health, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of hospital staffs regarding to medical waste management. Instrument & Methods The current descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional research was carried out on the staffs of the Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol City, Iran, in 2013. 130 employees were selected by stratified sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire (accessible as an attachment) containing 4 parts of demographic information, knowledge (15 questions), attitude (6 questions) and practices (6 questions) was used for data gathering. The data was analyzed by SPSS 17 software using Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Findings The participants mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 10.7±1.6 (out of 15), 5.5±0.8 (out of 6), and 4.5±1.5 (out of 6), respectively. 12% (16 people) of the participants had low, 72% (93 people) of the participants had medium, and 16% (21 people) of them had high knowledge toward hospital waste management. 16% (21 people) of the participants had medium and 84% (109 people) of them had high attitude toward hospital waste management. 4% (5 people), 46% (60 people) and 50% (65 people) of the participants had low, medium and high practice, respectively. Conclusion The level of knowledge, attitude and practice of the Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol City, Iran, regarding hospital waste management is acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to copy and paste text within computerized physician documentation facilitates electronic note writing, but may affect the quality of physician notes and patient care. Little is known about physicians’ collective experience with the copy and paste function (CPF). To determine physicians’ CPF use, perceptions of its impact on notes and patient care, and opinions regarding its future use. Cross-sectional survey. Resident and faculty physicians within two affiliated academic medical centers currently using a computerized documentation system. Responses on a self-administered survey. A total of 315 (70%) of 451 eligible physicians responded to the survey. Of the 253 (80%) physicians who wrote inpatient notes electronically, 226 (90%) used CPF, and 177 (70%) used it almost always or most of the time when writing daily progress notes. While noting that inconsistencies (71%) and outdated information (71%) were more common in notes containing copy and pasted text, few physicians felt that CPF had a negative impact on patient documentation (19%) or led to mistakes in patient care (24%). The majority of physicians (80%) wanted to continue to use CPF. Although recognizing deficits in notes written using CPF, the majority of physicians used CPF to write notes and did not perceive an overall negative impact on physician documentation or patient care. Further studies of the effects of electronic note writing on the quality and safety of patient care are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The purpose of this study is to define the most relevant topics for inclusion in an undergraduate psychiatric curriculum by asking non-psychiatrists what knowledge, skills and attitudes related to psychiatry they need in their day-to-day practice. Methods A questionnaire study involving non-psychiatric doctors (based both in hospitals and general practice) was carried out using Delphi methodology in 2 waves. In the first wave, 408 doctors described the psychiatric competencies they required in their current posts. From this, a list of 101 psychiatric topics was generated. In the second wave, 867 doctors rated these topics according to the relevance of each topic to their practice. Results Depression, alcohol misuse and drug misuse were rated as most relevant. General practitioners found more topics relevant to their practice than did hospital doctors, and there were disparities in the relative importance that the 2 groups gave to topics. Conclusions This study demonstrates a systematic method for developing core curricular undergraduate learning objectives in a specialty area by asking doctors outside that specialty to identify topics that are relevant to their practice. Similar methods could be used for a range of specialties other than psychiatry and could provide a rational and transparent means of developing a core curriculum for medical students, when combined with perspectives from other sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Career choice, sense of professional identity and career behaviour are influenced, subject to change and capable of development through interaction with the learning environment. In this paper workplace learning discourses are used to frame ongoing concerns associated with higher specialist training. Data from the first stage of a multimethods investigation into recruitment into and retention in specialties in the West Midlands is used to consider some possible effects of the specialist learning environment on recruitment and retention. Methods The aim of the study was to identify issues, through interviews with 6 consultants and questionnaires completed by specialist registrars from specialties representing a range of recruitment levels. These would inform subsequent study of attributes and dispositions relevant to specialist practice and recruitment. The data were analysed using NVivo© software for qualitative data management. Results Participants' perceptions are presented as bipolar dimensions, associated with: curriculum structure, learning relationships, assessment of learning, and learning climate. They demonstrate ongoing struggle between different models of workplace learning. Conclusion Changes in the postgraduate education of doctors seem set to continue well into the future. How these are reflected in the balance between workplace learning models, and how they influence doctors' sense of identity as specialists suggests a useful basis for examination of career satisfaction and recruitment to specialties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ContextPrevious studies have drawn attention to the stresses experienced by doctors in their first year. ObjectivesTo gain a deeper understanding of the causes of stress in newly qualified doctors, how they cope, and what interventions might make the year less traumatic. DesignPostal questionnaire. This study focused on an open question asking about a stressful incident, the coping strategy used to deal with it, stressors in general and current levels of stress using the General Health Questionnaire. Setting336 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom. SubjectsA cohort of doctors followed from the time of their application to medical school, studied towards the end of their pre-registration year (n =2456). ResultsThe response rate to the questionnaire was 58·4%. The incidents were categorised into the major groups Responsibility (33·6%), Interpersonal (29·7%), Overwork (17·0%), Death and disease (13·0%), and Self (6·7%). GHQ revealed psychological morbidity in 31% of respondents. Stress levels were highest in those reporting an incident about Responsibility or Self, lowest in those describing Death or disease. Stressors in general and preferred coping strategies differed between the groups. ConclusionThe incidents suggested the following interventions to reduce stress: better supervision in the first few weeks in post, at night, and for medical problems on surgical wards; more attention to avoiding sleep deprivation; more time for discussion with colleagues at work; more personal time with friends and family. The choice of incident described was influenced by the personal characteristics of the respondent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ContextPrevious studies have drawn attention to the importance of the trainee/trainer relationship in determining job satisfaction and motivation to learn. ObjectivesTo study the relationship between pre-registration house officers and their consultants through exploring an interpersonal exchange and the emotional context in which the exchange took place. To consider any association between the type of relationship implied and the trainee's attitude to their career. DesignPostal questionnaire covering a wide range of issues. This study focused on an open question about a significant or interesting exchange, followed by supplementary questions exploring the emotional context of the exchange. Setting336 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom. SubjectsA cohort of doctors were followed from the time of their application to medical school, and studied towards the end of their pre-registration year (n =2456). ResultsThe response rate to the questionnaire was 58·4%. Responses were categorised as Support and supervision; Unreasonable behaviour; Consultant fallibility; Fair criticism and No exchange. Over half the responses described an interaction that made them feel positive. Trainees particularly appreciated positive feedback, clinical support, teaching, career advice, patronage, or social interaction. The importance of formal appraisal or review sessions in providing the setting for a positive exchange was confirmed. Positive interactions were associated with a positive view of medicine as a career. A minority described an interaction that was negative, involving unreasonable demands, criticism (whether perceived as fair or unfair), humiliation, or sexism. These were associated with a more negative view of medicine as a career, and of themselves as doctors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionIn addition to possessing medical expertise, contemporary physicians are expected to be skilled communicators, critical consumers and users of medical research, teachers, collaborators, health care advocates, and managers. A core curriculum is a common set of learning experiences designed to help prepare physicians for these complex roles. PurposeThis article describes the design and implementation of one core curriculum, summarizes the feedback received from residents, and shares some of the lessons we are learning as we use feedback to develop our programme. MethodThe core curriculum described was implemented at a Canadian university which offers 56 residency programmes with a total enrolment of approximately 360 students. The curriculum consisted of 30 sessions organized around four themes: biostatistics and epidemiology; communications and teaching skills; healthcare management, and ethical, medicolegal and lifestyle issues. Each session in the Core Curriculum was evaluated by residents with respect to the timing, quality, and value of the learning experience. In addition, residents participated in focus group discussions of their Core Curriculum experiences. ResultsKey findings related to the characteristics of effective core curriculum learning experiences and to the barriers to implementing a core curriculum across programmes. Of particular salience were findings related to explicit issues of attendance and the diverse needs of learners and programmes, and to more implicit issues of communication and managing change. The specific content and format of the Core Curriculum and the results of the evaluation process will be of interest to others considering a core curriculum for postgraduate medical programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo identify the career aspirations of interns (house officers) working in two hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. MethodsAll house officers working in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the General Hospital, Ikeja were invited to participate in a cross sectional survey. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. ResultsSpecialization choice was evident in 97·1% of the interns while they were undergraduates but this declined to 82·9% on qualifying, though chosen specialties did not vary much between both periods. The preferred specialties were surgery (18·1%), obstetrics and gynaecology (18·1%), paediatrics (9·5%) and dental sciences (10·5%). Doctors who were below the age of 26 years were significantly more likely to want to specialize than others (P=0·017). Furthermore, respondents who had no regrets about selecting medicine as a career were significantly more willing to specialize than others (P=0·013). The major reasons for wanting to specialize were interest in specialty (72·4%), job satisfaction (67·6%) and bright prospects in selected field (54·3%). However, 14·4% no longer wanted to practise medicine while 69% would have liked to leave Nigeria, mainly for the United States of America. Financial considerations were a major reason for both groups. ConclusionSurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology continue to attract young doctors to the detriment of other specialties. Financial considerations are also a key determinant of with regard to place of future practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about the ability of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) to perform basic clinical skills just prior to entering the medical register. Objectives To find out whether PRHOs have deficiencies in basic clinical skills and to determine if the PRHOs themselves or their consultants are aware of them. Method All 40 PRHOs at the Chelsea and Westminster and Whittington Hospitals were invited to undertake a 17 station OSCE of basic clinical skills. Each station was marked by one examiner completing an overall global score after completing an itemised checklist. An adequate station performance was the acquisition of a pass/borderline pass grade. Prior to the OSCE, a questionnaire was given to each PRHO asking them to rate their own abilities (on a 5-point scale) in the skills tested. A similar questionnaire was sent to the educational supervisors of each PRHO asking them to rate their house officer’s ability in each of the same skills. Results Twenty-two PRHOs participated. Each PRHO failed to perform adequately a mean of 2·4 OSCE stations (SD 1·8, range 1–8). There were no significant correlations between OSCE performance and either self- or educational supervisor ratings. The supervisor felt unable to give an opinion on PRHO abilities in 18% of the skills assessed. Discussion This study suggests that PRHOs may have deficiencies in basic clinical skills at the time they enter the medical register. Neither the PRHOs themselves nor their consultants identified these deficiencies. A large regional study with sufficient power is required to explore the generalizability of these concerns in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This paper reviews the literature on self-evaluation and discusses the findings of a small-scale qualitative study which explored the terms ‘confidence’ and ‘competence’ as useful measures in a self-evaluation scale. Four pre-registration house officers took part in interviews and completed a provisional instrument to assess their perceived competence. Findings Competence and confidence are useful terms for house officers expressing beliefs about their ability to perform their job but the terms should not be used synonymously. In our study, ‘competent’ represented what individuals knew about their ability and was based on the individual’s previous experience of the task. ‘Confident’ described a judgement which influenced whether an individual was willing or not to undertake an activity. Confidence was not necessarily based on known levels of competence and therefore performance of tasks which were unfamiliar to the house officer also involved the assessment of risk. The authors give examples of task and skill scales which may be useful in the process of self-evaluation by pre-registration house officers. Conclusions The authors suggest that the process of assessing oneself is complicated, and by its very nature can never be objective or free from the beliefs and values individuals hold about themselves. Therefore self-evaluation instruments are best used to help individuals analyse their work practices and to promote reflection on performance. They should not be used to judge the ‘accuracy’ of the individual’s evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimsTo explore the concerns of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) and the views of hospital consultants in relation to pre-registration rotations with a general practice component. MethodAs part of a larger qualitative study evaluating how a group of 24 PRHOs learn in hospital and primary care settings, face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with the PRHOs, and semistructured telephone interviews with the PRHOs’ educational supervisors were carried out. ResultsThe interviews with the PRHOs highlighted their concerns about how consultants might view PRHO rotations into general practice. However, the majority of consultants interviewed recognized and valued specific aspects of the experience to be gained by PRHOs in general practice, including the relationship between primary and secondary care; communications skills; specific clinical skills, and an understanding of the natural course of illnesses. The experience was seen as valuable for PRHOs considering either a general practice or a hospital career. Of the 17 consultants, 10 were also confident that 4-month placements in surgery and medicine would give PRHOs adequate experience in either specialty, providing the placements were sufficiently busy. ConclusionsMedical school deans and medical students considering PRHO rotations with a general practice component can be encouraged by the fact that, in this small study, the majority of hospital consultants interviewed valued the specific experience offered by these rotations, and felt that adequate medical and surgical experience could be gained in busy 4-month hospital placements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction We describe the steps taken to develop an appropriate list of ‘clinical problems’ used to define the content of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) component of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examination. Method A blueprint and list of 255 clinical problems was compiled by reviewing PLAB questions, published curricula of the UK Royal Colleges and other sources such as the General Medical Council’s own guidelines. This list was sent to a random sample of 251 successful PLAB candidates who were asked to rate the clinical problems using a scale of ‘seen frequently/seldom/never’ and to 120 members of the accident and emergency (A&E) specialists’ association who were asked to identify ‘important’ tasks. The list was further validated using activity data obtained for consecutive A&E attendances (934) and admissions (6130) at three hospitals. Results After two mailings, 131/251 (52%) former PLAB candidates and 89/120 (74%) A&E specialists replied. All of the 255 clinical problems were seen by some former candidates and were felt to be important by some A&E specialists. Of the 255 problems, 40 were neither rated as important nor as seen frequently/seldom by over 50% of respondents. The 255 clinical problems covered a mean 94% consecutive A&E attendances and 97·6% reasons for hospital admission. The correlation between clinical problems that were frequently encountered and those felt to be important was rho=0·38 (P < 0·01). Conclusion The clinical problems appear to be appropriate for defining the content of the PLAB OSCE. We suggest that our problem list is useful in that all the problems are seen by some senior house officers, are felt to be important by some A&E specialists and cover greater than or equal to 94% of the conditions for which patients both attend and are admitted from casualty. The correlation between clinical task importance and the frequency that they were seen was only moderate, partly reflecting the relative seriousness of some uncommon medical conditions, which should not be missed on clinical assessment. The content of the OSCE component of the PLAB examination is being reviewed in the light of the findings of this study. The limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been stated that faculty development programmes which are closely linked to particular teaching contexts are most likely to be effective. Over the past 10 years we have developed a model of ‘co-teaching’ for faculty development which is based upon this premise and which can be applied to any clinical rotation. In this paper we describe our model, in which paired physicians focus on developing their teaching skills while sharing the clinical supervision of residents and medical students. Through iterative phases of teaching, debriefing and planning, co-teachers gain experience in analysing teaching encounters and develop skills in self-evaluation. Teaching occurs in the usual clinical settings such as attending (consultant) teaching rounds, clinic precepting, and case conferences. We discuss our model in the context of educational theory and related literature. We support our positive assessment of the co-teaching model through the precepts of collaborative inquiry and case study methodology. Vignettes, taken from the experiences of the authors, are used to demonstrate how the model is used to develop effective solutions to problems and to help in the maturation of one’s skill as an educator. Successful implementation of the model is predicated on the development of a truly collaborative process between co-teachers. We share lessons we have learned from our experience of implementing the model in different clinical venues, such as the contrast between teaching on a hospital ward or in the clinic. This collaborative process has been well received by junior and senior faculty participants in our institution for more than a decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A valid and reliable questionnaire was developed which assesses eight subscales relating to key areas of medical hospital-based work. This was used to evaluate junior doctors' perceptions of the adequacy of their undergraduate medical training to prepare them for hospital practice. Data from 139 (60%) first-year doctors (interns) showed that graduates from the problem-based medical school rated their undergraduate preparation more highly than traditional medical school graduates in preparing them for practice in the areas of interpersonal skills, confidence, collaboration with other health care workers, preventive care, holistic care and self-directed learning. These findings persisted when ratings were adjusted for the effects of age and gender. There were no differences between the intern groups for patient management and understanding science. This research suggests that educational experiences in different undergraduate medical courses are important in preparing doctors for their early working life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A symposium on Learning in Primary Care was held in Cape Town, South Africa, as a pre-conference workshop to the 9th International Ottawa Conference on Medical Education. The aim of this report is to inform medical educationalists of important issues in learning in primary care and to stimulate further debate. Four international speakers gave presentations on their experiences in teaching and learning in primary care. Objective positive outcome measures include acquiring clinical skills equally well in general practice as in hospital, and improved history taking, physical examination and communication skills learning. Students regard the course as an essential requirement for learning and are appreciative of the wider aspect to learning provided by the community, giving a more holistic view of health. A SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of teaching and learning in primary care identified that learning in primary care is of a generalist nature and reality based, but is hampered by a lack of resources. The increased professionalization of teaching in primary care results in better training, cost containment, and improved quality of health care at community level. It is important to focus on turning threats into opportunities. Academic credibility needs to be established by conducting research on learning in primary care and developing the conceptual basis of primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuity of health care in the Netherlands is hampered by its structure. There exists a sharp border between the first echelon in which the primary general care is given and the higher echelons in which the out-patient and hospital care is delivered. The policy of the Government is directed to substitution of out-patient and hospital functions, executed in primary care. The possibilities and difficulties for patients and pharmacists are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]