Clinical support during COVID-19: An opportunity for service and learning? A cross-sectional survey of UK medical students.

PURPOSE: Medical students providing support to clinical teams during Covid-19 may have been an opportunity for service and learning. We aimed to understand why the reported educational impact has been mixed to inform future placements. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of medical students at UK medical schools during the first Covid-19 'lockdown' period in the UK (March-July 2020). Analysis was informed by the conceptual framework of service and learning. RESULTS: 1245 medical students from 37 UK medical schools responded. 57% of respondents provided clinical support across a variety of roles and reported benefits including increased preparedness for foundation year one compared to those who did not (p < 0.0001). However, not every individual's experience was equal. For some, roles complemented the curriculum and provided opportunities for clinical skill development, reflection, and meaningful contribution to the health service. For others, the relevance of their role to their education was limited; these roles typically focused on service provision, with few opportunities to develop. CONCLUSION: The conceptual framework of service and learning can help explain why student experiences have been heterogeneous. We highlight how this conceptual framework can be used to inform clinical placements in the future, in particular the risks, benefits, and structures.[Box: see text].

Parental experience after diagnosis of a congenital upper limb difference: a national survey.

Congenital hand and upper limb differences may be detected during antenatal ultrasonography or visually at birth. We investigated the experience of parents when they first learned that their child had an upper limb difference. This national retrospective cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative survey within the UK and Ireland received 261 responses from parents of children. Differences were first suspected antenatally among 41% of respondents and in 57% postnatally, with 2% unsure. Of the children, 54% were seen in a clinic by a specialist congenital hand surgeon within 3 months and 88% within 12 months, with 73% of respondents feeling unsupported after a diagnosis that was unexpected. Qualitative analysis outlined a broad spectrum of parental concerns about the quality of information received, especially regarding the child's future biopsychosocial needs. This study showed the need for more support for parents from frontline healthcare professionals and the need for a streamlined referral pathway.Level of evidence: IV.

The importance of embryology for parents of children with congenital hand differences.

This study aimed to determine whether embryology knowledge or explaining the possible developmental pathway error was important for parents of affected children, and to secondarily determine if there was a relationship between desired knowledge of embryology and disease severity, maternal age group or maternal level of education. Using a self-administered questionnaire, a significant proportion of responding parents considered knowledge of embryology important (32 out of 43). We found a significant association between the importance of embryology knowledge for parents and the disease severity. However, the importance and level of knowledge desired was not related to maternal age or level of education. This study demonstrated the importance of explaining the associated developmental errors in the congenital hand consultation, particularly in severe anomalies. Surgeons should familiarize themselves with embryology to provide an explanation as to why congenital hand differences happen, which may provide better psychological support for parents of these children.

A comparative analysis of multidimensional computerized adaptive testing for the DASH and QuickDASH scores in Dupuytren's disease.

The QuickDASH is a short-form version of the DASH questionnaire, the most widely used patient-reported outcome measure in hand surgery. Multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) can produce shorter and more precise testing than static short forms, like QuickDASH. We used DASH responses from 507 patients with Dupuytren's disease to develop a MCAT. The algorithm was evaluated in a Monte Carlo simulation, where the standard error of measurement (SEm) of scores obtained from the 11-item QuickDASH was compared with scores obtained from an MCAT that could administer up to 11 items from the full 30-item DASH. The MCAT asked a mean of 8.51 items (SD 2.93) and 265/1000 simulated respondents needed to complete ≤five items. Median SEms were better for DASH MCAT: 0.299 (hand function) and 0.256 (sensory symptoms) versus 0.320 and 0.290, respectively, for QuickDASH. Our study showed that the DASH MCAT can produce more precise DASH measurement than the QuickDASH, from fewer items.

Acute plate fixation of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures is not associated with earlier return of normal shoulder function when union is achieved.

AIMS: It is unclear whether acute plate fixation facilitates earlier return of normal shoulder function following a displaced mid-shaft clavicular fracture compared with nonoperative management when union occurs. The primary aim of this study was to establish whether acute plate fixation was associated with a greater return of normal shoulder function when compared with nonoperative management in patients who unite their fractures. The secondary aim was to investigate whether there were identifiable predictors associated with return of normal shoulder function in patients who achieve union with nonoperative management. METHODS: Patient data from a randomized controlled trial were used to compare acute plate fixation with nonoperative management of united fractures. Return of shoulder function was based on the age- and sex-matched Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores for the cohort. Independent predictors of an early recovery of normal shoulder function were investigated using a separate prospective series of consecutive nonoperative displaced mid-shaft clavicular fractures recruited over a two-year period (aged ≥ 16 years). Patient demographics and functional recovery were assessed over the six months post-injury using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Data from the randomized controlled trial consisted of 86 patients who underwent operative fixation compared with 76 patients that united with nonoperative treatment. The recovery of normal shoulder function, as defined by a DASH score within the predicted 95% confidence interval for each respective patient, was similar between each group at six weeks (operative 26.7% vs nonoperative 25.0%, p = 0.800), three months (52.3% vs 44.2%, p = 0.768), and six months post-injury (86.0% vs 90.8%, p = 0.349). The mean DASH score and return to work were also comparable at each timepoint. In the prospective cohort, 86.5% (n = 173/200) achieved union by six months post-injury (follow-up rate 88.5%, n = 200/226). Regression analysis found that no specific patient, injury, or fracture predictor was associated with an early return of function at six or 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: Return of normal shoulder function was comparable between acute plate fixation and nonoperative management when union was achieved. One in two patients will have recovery of normal shoulder function at three months, increasing to nine out of ten patients at six months following injury when union occurs, irrespective of initial treatment. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(7):522-529.

Displaced Midshaft Clavicle Fracture Union Can Be Accurately Predicted with a Delayed Assessment at 6 Weeks Following Injury: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear if clinical recovery following a midshaft clavicle fracture can accurately predict fracture-healing. The additional information that can be assessed at 6 weeks after injury may have superior predictive value compared with information available at the time of the injury. METHODS: A prospective study of all patients (≥16 years of age) who sustained a fully displaced midshaft clavicle fracture was performed. We assessed patient demographic characteristics, injury factors, functional scores, and radiographic predictors with a standardized protocol at 6 weeks. Conditional stepwise regression modeling was used to assess which factors independently predicted nonunion at 6 months after the injury as determined by computed tomography (CT). The nonunion predictor 6-week model was compared with a previously validated model based on factors available at the time of the injury, which included smoking, comminution, and fracture displacement. RESULTS: At 6 months, 200 patients completed follow-up. The CT-defined nonunion rate was 14% (27 of 200). Of the functional scores, the QuickDASH (the abbreviated version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire) had the highest accuracy on receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis with a 39.8-point threshold, above which was associated with nonunion (area under curve [AUC], 76.8%; p < 0.001). Sixty-nine percent of the cohort had a QuickDASH score of <40 points at 6 weeks, and 95% (131 of 138) of these patients had fracture union. On regression modeling, a QuickDASH score of ≥40 points (p = 0.001), no callus on radiographs (p = 0.004), and fracture movement on examination (p = 0.001) were significant predictors of nonunion. If none were present, the predicted nonunion risk was 3%, found in 40% (80 of 200) of the cohort. Conversely, if ≥2 of the predictors were present, found in 23.5% of the cohort, the predicted nonunion risk was 60%. The nonunion predictor model at 6 weeks appeared to have superior accuracy (AUC, 87.3%) when compared with the nonunion predictor model at the time of injury (AUC, 64.8%) for fracture-healing on ROC curve analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed assessment at 6 weeks following displaced midshaft clavicle fracture enables an accurate prediction of patients who are likely to have union with nonoperative management. One in 4 patients are at an increased risk of nonunion and may benefit from operative intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.