1
|
Wu L, Tong Y, Yu Y, Yu X, Zhou Y, Xu M, Guo Y, Song Z, Xu Z. General practitioner residents' experiences and perceptions of outpatient training in primary care settings in China: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e076821. [PMID: 37714679 PMCID: PMC10510923 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The implementation of outpatient training in primary care settings is an essential part of residency training for general practitioner (GP) residents. However, limited research exists on their experiences and perceptions of this training. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of GP residents regarding outpatient training in primary care settings in China and provide insights and recommendations to enhance training quality. DESIGN A qualitative descriptive study employing in-depth interviews. SETTING Two community healthcare centres (CHCs) that implement outpatient training programmes for GP residents in Zhejiang Province, China. PARTICIPANTS In total, 20 GP residents affiliated with 14 CHCs and two hospitals across Zhejiang Province and Guizhou Province who had completed outpatient training in either CHC for over 1 month. RESULTS Of the 20 participants in this study, 11 (55%) were women, and the mean age was 28 years. GP residents completed the process of consultation, physical examination and therapy independently; subsequently, the community preceptors provided feedback based on their clinical performance and modelled their clinical skills. The benefits perceived by GP residents included improved clinical skills and confidence in practice, and they learned approaches to maintaining good relationships with patients. They preferred dealing with complex cases, discussions with peers and the indirect supervision of community preceptors in the training session. Residents recommended that measures be taken to improve the training quality regarding patient selection and recruitment, clinical skills in the training session, and assessment of clinical performance. CONCLUSIONS The outpatient training in primary care settings provides constructive opportunities for GP residents to improve their professional competencies. Although the current training sessions and the abilities of community preceptors largely satisfy the needs of GP residents, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of training and explore approaches to improve its quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Wu
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuling Tong
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingying Yu
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyan Yu
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yening Zhou
- Xiaoying District Community Healthcare Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meiqun Xu
- Nanxing District Community Healthcare Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhenya Song
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhijie Xu
- Department of General Practice, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rietmeijer CBT, van Esch SCM, Blankenstein AH, van der Horst HE, Veen M, Scheele F, Teunissen PW. A phenomenology of direct observation in residency: Is Miller's 'does' level observable? MEDICAL EDUCATION 2023; 57:272-279. [PMID: 36515981 PMCID: PMC10107098 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Guidelines on direct observation (DO) present DO as an assessment of Miller's 'does' level, that is, the learner's ability to function independently in clinical situations. The literature, however, indicates that residents may behave 'inauthentically' when observed. To minimise this 'observer effect', learners are encouraged to 'do what they would normally do' so that they can receive feedback on their actual work behaviour. Recent phenomenological research on patients' experiences with DO challenges this approach; patients needed-and caused-some participation of the observing supervisor. Although guidelines advise supervisors to minimise their presence, we are poorly informed on how some deliberate supervisor participation affects residents' experience in DO situations. Therefore, we investigated what residents essentially experienced in DO situations. METHODS We performed an interpretive phenomenological interview study, including six general practice (GP) residents. We collected and analysed our data, using the four phenomenological lenses of lived body, lived space, lived time and lived relationship. We grouped our open codes by interpreting what they revealed about common structures of residents' pre-reflective experiences. RESULTS Residents experienced the observing supervisor not just as an observer or assessor. They also experienced them as both a senior colleague and as the patient's familiar GP, which led to many additional interactions. When residents tried to act as if the supervisor was not there, they could feel insecure and handicapped because the supervisor was there, changing the situation. DISCUSSION Our results indicate that the 'observer effect' is much more material than was previously understood. Consequently, observing residents' 'authentic' behaviour at Miller's 'does' level, as if the supervisor was not there, seems impossible and a misleading concept: misleading, because it may frustrate residents and cause supervisors to neglect patients' and residents' needs in DO situations. We suggest that one-way DO is better replaced by bi-directional DO in working-and-learning-together sessions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chris B. T. Rietmeijer
- Department of General PracticeAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Suzanne C. M. van Esch
- Department of General PracticeAmsterdam UMC, location University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Annette H. Blankenstein
- Department of General PracticeAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E. van der Horst
- Department of General PracticeAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mario Veen
- Department of General PracticeErasmus Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Fedde Scheele
- School of Medical Sciences, Athena Institute for Transdisciplinary ResearchAmsterdam UMC, location Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Pim W. Teunissen
- School of Health Professions EducationMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Berkhout C, Berbra O, Favre J, Collins C, Calafiore M, Peremans L, Van Royen P. Defining and evaluating the Hawthorne effect in primary care, a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1033486. [PMID: 36425097 PMCID: PMC9679018 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1033486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2015, we conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in primary care to evaluate if posters and pamphlets dispensed in general practice waiting rooms enhanced vaccination uptake for seasonal influenza. Unexpectedly, vaccination uptake rose in both arms of the RCT whereas public health data indicated a decrease. We wondered if the design of the trial had led to a Hawthorne effect (HE). Searching the literature, we noticed that the definition of the HE was unclear if stated. Our objectives were to refine a definition of the HE for primary care, to evaluate its size, and to draw consequences for primary care research. We designed a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses review and meta-analysis between January 2012 and March 2022. We included original reports defining the HE and reports measuring it without setting limitations. Definitions of the HE were collected and summarized. Main published outcomes were extracted and measures were analyzed to evaluate odds ratios (ORs) in primary care. The search led to 180 records, reduced on review to 74 for definition and 15 for quantification. Our definition of HE is "an aware or unconscious complex behavior change in a study environment, related to the complex interaction of four biases affecting the study subjects and investigators: selection bias, commitment and congruence bias, conformity and social desirability bias and observation and measurement bias." Its size varies in time and depends on the education and professional position of the investigators and subjects, the study environment, and the outcome. There are overlap areas between the HE, placebo effect, and regression to the mean. In binary outcomes, the overall OR of the HE computed in primary care was 1.41 (95% CI: [1.13; 1.75]; I 2 = 97%), but the significance of the HE disappears in well-designed studies. We conclude that the HE results from a complex system of interacting phenomena and appears to some degree in all experimental research, but its size can considerably be reduced by refining study designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Berkhout
- Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Université de Lille, Lille, France
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ornella Berbra
- Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Jonathan Favre
- Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Matthieu Calafiore
- Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, Université de Lille, Lille, France
- ULR 2694 METRICS, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Lieve Peremans
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Paul Van Royen
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rietmeijer CBT, Blankenstein AH, Huisman D, van der Horst HE, Kramer AWM, de Vries H, Scheele F, Teunissen PW. What happens under the flag of direct observation, and how that matters: A qualitative study in general practice residency. MEDICAL TEACHER 2021; 43:937-944. [PMID: 33765396 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2021.1898572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In competency-based medical education, direct observation (DO) of residents' skills is scarce, notwithstanding its undisputed importance for credible feedback and assessment. A growing body of research is investigating this discrepancy. Strikingly, in this research, DO as a concrete educational activity tends to remain vague. In this study, we concretised DO of technical skills in postgraduate longitudinal training relationships. METHODS Informed by constructivist grounded theory, we performed a focus group study among general practice residents. We asked residents about their experiences with different manifestations of DO of technical skills. A framework describing different DO patterns with their varied impact on learning and the training relationship was constructed and refined until theoretical sufficiency was reached. RESULTS The dominant DO pattern was ad hoc, one-way DO. Importantly, in this pattern, various unpredictable, and sometimes unwanted, scenarios could occur. Residents hesitated to discuss unwanted scenarios with their supervisors, sometimes instead refraining from future requests for DO or even for help. Planned bi-directional DO sessions, though seldom practiced, contributed much to collaborative learning in a psychologically safe training relationship. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Patterns matter in DO. Residents and supervisors should be made aware of this and educated in maintaining an open dialogue on how to use DO for the benefit of learning and the training relationship.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chris B T Rietmeijer
- Department of General Practice, Location VUmc, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annette H Blankenstein
- Department of General Practice, Location VUmc, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Huisman
- Department of General Practice, Location VUmc, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- Department of General Practice, Location VUmc, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anneke W M Kramer
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Henk de Vries
- Department of General Practice, Location VUmc, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fedde Scheele
- School of Medical Sciences, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Location VUmc, Athena Institute for Transdisciplinary Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pim W Teunissen
- School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 60, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Alberto EC, Jagannath S, McCusker ME, Keller S, Marsic I, Sarcevic A, O’Connell KJ, Burd RS. Classification strategies for non-routine events occurring in high-risk patient care settings: A scoping review. J Eval Clin Pract 2021; 27:464-471. [PMID: 33249690 PMCID: PMC7961264 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Non-routine events (NREs) are atypical or unusual occurrences in a pre-defined process. Although some NREs in high-risk clinical settings have no adverse effects on patient care, others can potentially cause serious patient harm. A unified strategy for identifying and describing NREs in these domains will facilitate the comparison of results between studies. METHODS We conducted a literature search in PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE to identify studies related to NREs in high-risk domains and evaluated the methods used for event observation and description. We applied The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) taxonomy (cause, impact, domain, type, prevention, and mitigation) to the descriptions of NREs from the literature. RESULTS We selected 25 articles that met inclusion criteria for review. Real-time documentation of NREs was more common than a retrospective video review. Thirteen studies used domain experts as observers and seven studies validated observations with interrater reliability. Using the JCAHO taxonomy, "cause" was the most frequently applied classification method, followed by "impact," "type," "domain," and "prevention and mitigation." CONCLUSIONS NREs are frequent in high-risk medical settings. Strengths identified in several studies included the use of multiple observers with domain expertise and validation of the event ascertainment approach using interrater reliability. By applying the JCAHO taxonomy to the current literature, we provide an example of a structured approach that can be used for future analyses of NREs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Alberto
- Division of Trauma and Burns, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Swathi Jagannath
- College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Maureen E. McCusker
- Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Susan Keller
- Department of Nursing Science Professional Practice and Quality, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ivan Marsic
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Aleksandra Sarcevic
- College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Karen J. O’Connell
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Randall S. Burd
- Division of Trauma and Burns, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Stephenson CR, Rea JR, Bonnes SL, Leasure EL. Telehealth visits as direct observation opportunities. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2020; 54:1062-1063. [PMID: 32896898 DOI: 10.1111/medu.14349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
|