ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Competency-based training requires frequent assessment of residents' skills to determine clinical competence. This study reviews existing literature on procedure-specific competence assessment tools in orthopaedic surgery. METHODS: A systematic search of eight databases up to May 2023 was conducted. Two reviewers independently assessed validity evidence and educational utility of each assessment tool and evaluated studies' methodological quality. RESULTS: Database searching identified 2,556 unique studies for title and abstract screening. Full texts of 290 studies were reviewed; 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. Bibliography review identified another five studies, totaling 22 studies examining 24 assessment tools included in the analysis. These tools assessed various orthopaedic surgery procedures within trauma, sports medicine, spine, and upper extremity. Overall validity evidence was low across all studies, and was lowest for consequences and highest for content. Methodological quality of studies was moderate. Educational utility assessment was not explicitly done for most tools. DISCUSSION: The paucity of current procedure-specific assessment tools in orthopaedic surgery lacks the validity evidence required to be used reliably in high-stake summative assessments. Study strengths include robust methodology and use of an evidence-based validity evidence framework. Poor-quality existing evidence is a limitation and highlights the need for evidence-based tools across more subspecialties.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Orthopedic Procedures , Educational Measurement/methods , OrthopedicsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pain management is integral to the management of hip fracture. PURPOSE: To review the benefits and harms of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions for managing pain after hip fracture. DATA SOURCES: 25 electronic databases (January 1990 to December 2010), gray literature, trial registries, and reference lists, with no language restrictions. STUDY SELECTION: Multiple reviewers independently and in duplicate screened 9357 citations to identify randomized, controlled trials (RCTs); nonrandomized, controlled trials (non-RCTs); and cohort studies of pain management techniques in older adults after acute hip fracture. DATA EXTRACTION: Independent, duplicate data extraction and quality assessment were conducted, with discrepancies resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. Data extracted included study characteristics, inclusion and exclusion criteria, participant characteristics, interventions, and outcomes. DATA SYNTHESIS: 83 unique studies (64 RCTs, 5 non-RCTs, and 14 cohort studies) were included that addressed nerve blockade (n = 32), spinal anesthesia (n = 30), systemic analgesia (n = 3), traction (n = 11), multimodal pain management (n = 2), neurostimulation (n = 2), rehabilitation (n = 1), and complementary and alternative medicine (n = 2). Overall, moderate evidence suggests that nerve blockades are effective for relieving acute pain and reducing delirium. Low-level evidence suggests that preoperative traction does not reduce acute pain. Evidence was insufficient on the benefits and harms of most interventions, including spinal anesthesia, systemic analgesia, multimodal pain management, acupressure, relaxation therapy, transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation, and physical therapy regimens, in managing acute pain. LIMITATIONS: No studies evaluated outcomes of chronic pain or exclusively examined participants from nursing homes or with cognitive impairment. Systemic analgesics (narcotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) were understudied during the search period. CONCLUSION: Nerve blockade seems to be effective in reducing acute pain after hip fracture. Sparse data preclude firm conclusions about the relative benefits or harms of many other pain management interventions for patients with hip fracture. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
