Quality Improvement in Pediatric Surgical Ward Rounds after Implementation of Checklist.

Introduction: Using checklists has been common in high-risk industries such as aviation, space, and maritime sectors. It is routinely being used in health care also. Daily ward rounds play an essential role in patient care. Missing key details in rounds are common. Sometimes, these medical errors can lead to adverse events or mismanagement of patients. A checklist was introduced for daily ward rounds in our newly established institution. This study aims to assess the improvement in the documentation. Materials and Methods: A checklist for ward rounds was introduced in September 2018. During the study period, between July 2017 and January 2020, 30 random case records for each of the two groups were taken. Group A (without checklist) and Group B (checklist) were compared to see the documentation of patient identification, diagnosis, operative status, fresh complaints, vitals, examination findings, charting treatment, catheters/drains/intravenous access, and urinary status/bowel movements. Results: Sixty case records were included in the study. Comparison of documentation between Group A and Group B showed a significant difference in patient identification (50% vs. 100%), diagnosis (47% vs. 100%), operative status (33% vs. 100%), fresh complaints (76% vs. 100%), vitals (63% vs. 100%), examination findings (43% vs. 100%), charting treatment (73% vs. 100%), catheters/drains/intravenous access (10% vs. 86%), and urinary status/bowel movements (30% vs. 100%). Conclusion: Using checklists for daily ward rounds improves documentation. It reduces the gap in communication and potential errors in patient management.

How can we better prepare new doctors for the tasks and challenges of ward rounds?: An observational study of junior doctors' experiences.

PURPOSE: Ward rounds play a crucial role in the delivery of patient care in inpatient settings, but involve a complex mix of tasks, skills and challenges for junior doctors to negotiate. This study informs the development of high-quality training by identifying the activities that junior doctors perform, and those associated with stress during real-life ward rounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All activities performed by FY1 doctors (n = 60) over 2 ward rounds were coded in real-time by a trained observer using the work observation method by activity timing (WOMBAT). Doctors' heart rate was continuously recorded and non-metabolic peaks in heart rate used as a physiological indicator of stress. RESULTS: During ward rounds, FY1 doctors commonly engaged in indirect patient care, professional communication, documentation and observation. Very little time was spent on direct patient care (6%) or explicit supervision/education (0.01%). Heart rate data indicated that stress was highest during administrative tasks while interacting directly with patients while stepping out of rounds to complete personal tasks, when answering bleeps and while multi-tasking. CONCLUSIONS: Training that specifically covers the activities involved, skills required, and challenges inherent in real-life ward rounds may better prepare FY doctors for this complex area of practice.

"I just stand around and look friendly" - Comparing medical students' and physicians' ward round scripts.

BACKGROUND: Even though ward rounds are important learning opportunities for medical students, unfavourable ward round scripts of students and physicians may hinder learning in such situations. We investigated medical students' and physicians' ward round scripts with respect to (a) the content focus of ward round activities, and (b) the potential of these activities for knowledge construction. METHODS: We conducted standardized interviews with 50 medical students and physicians in internal medicine at different expertise stages. Activities participants labelled as typical for ward rounds were coded with respect to their content focus and their potential with regard to knowledge construction. RESULTS: Regarding content focus, especially residents mainly named activities bound to patient care. Teaching- and learning-related activities were very rare, but more frequently mentioned by students and more experienced physicians. With respect to potential for knowledge construction, students regarded significantly more passive activities (= low potential for knowledge construction) as typical for ward rounds, especially when they described their own role. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students should be supported in their development of conceiving ward rounds as valuable learning opportunities. Residents should be asked to take their teaching responsibility seriously, for example by demanding an active engagement of the students during ward rounds.

To what extent does hierarchical leadership affect health care outcomes?

Hierarchical leadership is an antiquated practice seen commonly in health care, whereby strictly defined roles and their importance are overemphasized. This can have unintended negative consequences in a pressurised environment. In contrast, flat hierarchies are gaining popularity, as they afford the flexibility and equality that is vital in a caring environment, where no one should be afraid to raise concerns and voice their opinions. Are hierarchical power structures inhibiting hospitals from achieving effective medical leadership and quality care? With increasing pressures on the health care system, is it time to move away from a hierarchical power structure that has been present for over 70 years? To inspire culture change, is it time to explore alternatives, such as a flat hierarchy?

Correcting medical decisions: a study in nurses' patient advocacy in (Finnish) hospital ward rounds.

During daily hospital ward rounds, medical teams, led by doctors, assess the progress of an individual patient's health. It is widely reported in the research literature that nurses play a relatively passive role during these rounds, because although they may have valuable information about the patient's condition and progress, and indeed their role includes advocacy on behalf of their patients, nurses nevertheless can experience difficulties in participating during case constructions. Here we report an instance from a (gastro-surgical) ward round in a Finnish hospital, in which nurses played a key role in reversing a consultant's initial decision to discharge a patient. They did so not by directly challenging the consultant's opinion, but by employing indirect means to introduce their discrepant perspective: they provide descriptions and ask questions that draw attention to information that results in the doctor coming to a different assessment than theirs of the patient's condition, and a different decision about what should be done (the patient was not discharged from hospital). The encounter reported here is taken from a corpus of ward round discussions in a Finnish hospital. The method of our study is Conversation Analysis.

Exploring interdisciplinary teamwork to support effective ward rounds.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to explore if health professionals share understanding of teamwork that supports collaborative ward rounds. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A purpose-designed survey was conducted in two acute medical and two rehabilitation wards from a metropolitan teaching hospital. Medical officers, nurses and allied health professionals participated. To understand characteristics that support collaborative ward rounds, questions developed from literature and industry experience asked: what are the enablers and challenges to teamwork; and what are clinicians' experiences of positive teamwork? Descriptive and thematic analyses were applied to the dimensions of effective teamwork as a framework for deductive coding. FINDINGS: Seventy-seven clinicians participated (93% response rate). Findings aligned with dimensions of teamwork framework. There was no meaningful difference between clinicians or specialty. Enablers to teamwork were: effective communication, shared understanding of patient goals, and colleague's roles. Challenges were ineffective communication, individual personalities, lack of understanding about roles and responsibilities, and organisational structure. Additional challenges included: time; uncoordinated treatment planning; and leadership. Positive teamwork was influenced by leadership and team dynamics. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Ward rounds benefit from a foundation of collaborative teamwork. Different dimensions of teamwork present during ward rounds support clinicians' shared understanding of roles, expectations and communication. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Rounds such as structured rounding, aim to improve teamwork. Inverting this concept to first develop effective collaboration will support team adaptability and resilience. This enables teams to transition between the multiple rounding processes undertaken in a single ward. The emphasis becomes high-quality teamwork rather than a single rounding process.

Exploring reasoning mechanisms in ward rounds: a critical realist multiple case study.

BACKGROUND: Ward rounds are an important and ubiquitous element of hospital care with a history extending well over a century. Although originally intended as a means of educating medical trainees and junior doctors, over time they have become focused on supporting clinical practice. Surprisingly, given their ubiquity and importance, they are under-researched and inadequately understood. This study aims to contribute knowledge in human reasoning within medical teams, meeting a pressing need for research concerning the reasoning occurring in rounds. METHODS: The research reported here aimed to improve the understanding of ward round reasoning by conducting a critical realist case study exploring the collaborative group reasoning mechanisms in the ward rounds of two hospitals in Victoria, Australia. The data collection involved observing rounds, interviewing medical practitioners and holding focus group meetings. RESULTS: Nine group reasoning mechanisms concerning sharing, agreeing and recording information in the categories of information accumulation, sense-making and decision-making were identified, together forming a program theory of ward round reasoning. In addition, themes spanning across mechanisms were identified, further explaining ward round reasoning and suggesting avenues for future exploration. Themes included the use of various criteria, tensions involving mechanisms, time factors, medical roles and hierarchies. CONCLUSIONS: This paper contributes to the literature by representing rounds in a manner that strengthens understanding of the form of the group reasoning occurring within, thus supporting theory-based evaluation strategies, redesigned practices and training enhancements.

Interprofessional rhetoric and operational realities: an ethnographic study of rounds in four intensive care units.

Morning interprofessional rounds (MIRs) are used in critical care medicine to improve team-based care and patient outcomes. Given existing evidence of conflict between and dissatisfaction among rounds participants, this study sought to better understand how the operational realities of care delivery in the intensive care unit (ICU) impact the success of MIRs. We conducted a year-long comparative ethnographic study of interprofessional collaboration and patient and family involvement in four ICUs in tertiary academic hospitals in two American cities. The study included 576 h of observation of team interactions, 47 shadowing sessions and 40 clinician interviews. In line with best practices in ethnographic research, data collection and analysis were done iteratively using the constant comparative method. Member check was conducted regularly throughout the project. MIRs were implemented on all units with the explicit goals of improving team-based and patient-centered care. Operational conditions on the units, despite interprofessional commitment and engagement, appeared to thwart ICU teams from achieving these goals. Specifically, time constraints, struggles over space, and conflicts between MIRs' educational and care-plan-development functions all prevented teams from achieving collaboration and patient-involvement. Moreover, physicians' de facto control of rounds often meant that they resembled medical rounds (their historical predecessors), and sidelined other providers' contributions. This study suggests that the MIRs model, as presently practiced, might not be well suited to the provision of team-based, patient-centered care. In the interest of interprofessional collaboration, of the optimization of clinicians' time, of high-quality medical education and of patient-centered care, further research on interprofessional rounds models is needed.

Ward rounds, participants, roles and perceptions: literature review.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to classify and describe the purpose of ward rounds, who attends each round and their role, and participants' perception of each other's role during the respective ward rounds. Design/methodology/approach - A literature review of face-to-face ward rounds in medical wards was conducted. Peer reviewed journals and government publications published between 2000 and 2014 were searched. Articles were classified according to the type of round described in the study. Purposes were identified using keywords in the description of why the round was carried out. Descriptions of tasks and interactions with team members defined participant roles. Findings - Eight round classifications were identified. The most common were the generalised ward; multidisciplinary; and consultant rounds. Multidisciplinary rounds were the most collaborative round. Medical officers were the most likely discipline to attend any round. There was limited reference to allied health clinicians and patient involvement on rounds. Perceptions attendees held of each other reiterated the need to continue to investigate teamwork. Practical implications - A collaborative approach to care planning can occur by ensuring clinicians and patients are aware of different ward round processes and their role in them. Originality/value - Analysis fulfils a gap in the literature by identifying and analysing the different ward rounds being undertaken in acute medical wards. It identifies the complexities in the long established routine hospital processes of the ward round.

SIN-BARRSS - Developing a mnemonic to support nurses' participation in interprofessional ward rounds in intensive care: An appreciative inquiry for quality improvement.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and pilot a mnemonic to increase the willingness and ability of bedside nurses to contribute to patient reviews in the daily interprofessional ward round. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: Appreciative inquiry quality improvement study, using ethnographic observations and appreciative inquiry discussions, augmented by quantitative data collection of basic facts. SETTING: Large (44 beds) critical care unit in the United Kingdom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interprofessional development and acceptance of mnemonic; successful preparation for pilot; use and usability of mnemonic; improvements in bedside nurses' contributions to ward round discussions (frequency and focus). RESULT/FINDINGS: Interprofessional development of a usable and useful mnemonic was successful, pilot implementation showed promising levels of take up and acceptance. Compared to before the quality improvement project bedside nurses were more willing and able to participate in ward round discussions, did so more often, and used the mnemonic script with insight and flexibility. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a mnemonic supported bedside nurses' contributions to the ward round. This could provide a framework for introducing similar programmes to other intensive care units. Appreciative inquiry methodology could be replicated in other settings to aid the improvement of interprofessional ward rounds, or to address other quality improvement priorities. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: A mnemonic can provide a structure which supports bedside nurses' contributions in ways that make good use of bedside nurses' professional expertise and most up to date knowledge of patients' clinical state. Furthermore, a well-designed mnemonic can be used flexibly and provides an outline script that supports less experienced and less confident nurses to make well-focused and well received contributions to rapid interprofessional discussions. In turn, this can increase these nurses' confidence and capability. More experienced and confident nurses, and ward round leaders, can use the same mnemonic flexibly as an aide memoir that guards against missing information and insights that could affect the quality and safety of patient care.

Insights into participation in ward rounds in hospitals: A survey of clinical pharmacists' perceptions.

Introduction: Clinical pharmacists' participation in ward rounds (WRs) has been a great chance to contribute to team-based care in the hospital setting and significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Hence, the objective of this investigation was to explore the perceptions of clinical pharmacists in Yemen regarding their participation in WRs and the factors influencing their involvement. Methods: An online survey of Yemeni clinical pharmacists was conducted and lasted for two months. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the survey responses. Results: a total of 120 participants were involved. About 3 out of 10 pharmacists had not previously participated in WRs, with only 30% having always or most of the time participated in word rounds alongside physicians. The results showed a positive perception of WR participation, with a median and IQR of 5(4-5). However, a lack of awareness of WR roles and the time-consuming nature of participation were the reasons for non-involvement. Conclusion: The study highlights the positive perceptions of Yemeni clinical pharmacists towards ward rounds, but emphasises the need to address awareness and time constraints. Emphasising patient-centered care and longer internship durations can improve clinical pharmacist involvement. Future research should focus on optimising clinical pharmacist participation for better patient outcomes and care quality.

A Multi-Center Study on the Implementation and Challenges of Nursing Three-Level Ward Rounds in Tertiary Hospitals in Shanxi Province.

Background: The "Key Points of the Core System of Medical Quality and Safety" (hereinafter referred to as the "Key Points") was promulgated by the National Health Commission of China in 2018, requiring that nursing ward rounds should be carried out with reference to the three-level ward round system; In 2020 and 2022 editions of the "Evaluation Standards for Tertiary Hospitals", which were implemented in China, required that nursing ward rounds should be carried out with reference to the "Key Points". Additionally, the Action Plan for Comprehensively Improving Medical Quality (2023-2025) also mentions the need to improve the quality of three-level ward rounds. However, there are no detailed guidelines regarding implementing "Nursing Three-level Ward Rounds". Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the current situation of nursing three-level ward rounds in tertiary hospitals after the promulgation of the "Key Points of the Core System of Medical Quality and Safety" to provide insights and guidelines regarding relevant standards, so as to better implement of the requirements of "nursing ward rounds" in the "Evaluation Standards for Tertiary Hospitals" and "improving the quality of three-level ward rounds" in the "Action Plan". Methods: A multi-center study was conducted in February 2024, including all tertiary public hospitals in the Shanxi Province, China. A questionnaire survey using the self-designed "Questionnaire on the Implementation of Nursing Three-level Ward Rounds" was carried out. The questionnaire included the basic information of the hospital and the implementation of the three-level (namely I, II, and III) rounds (including "five aspects": ward round personnel, object, content, frequency, and record), which is expressed by quantity and composition ratio. Next is the text analysis method. First, the "five aspects" of the hospital that filled in the questionnaire survey with "nursing three-level ward rounds have been carried out" were assessed. Second, the five aspects of each hospital were assessed for consistency with the "Nursing Three-level Ward Rounds System" (hereinafter referred to as the "System") of their respective hospitals.Third, the consistency of the "System" of the hospital with the "Key Points" was assessed. The results of the analysis of the former are expressed in terms of quantity and composition ratio; the results of the latter two were analyzed using Fisher's exact test method to compare any differences. Results: Notably, 14 of the 67 tertiary public hospitals (20.9%) carried out nursing three-level ward rounds. There were 4-10 situations in the five aspects of I, II, and III ward rounds filled in by the hospitals. The five aspects of the I, II, III ward rounds in 14 hospitals were significantly comparable with the "System", which, in turn, was comparable with the "Key Points" (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Not all tertiary public hospitals in the Shanxi Province have not all carried out nursing three-level ward rounds. Furthermore, the five aspects of the hospitals that carried out nursing three-level ward rounds were not entirely consistent in terms of ward round personnel, object, content, frequency, and record. The filling in of the nursing three-level ward rounds carried out by the hospitals is inconsistent with the respective "System"; the "System" of the hospital is not in line with the "Key Points". Impact on Nursing Work: Nursing administrators should be aware of the newly issued norms and requirements in their workplace, and revise the relevant systems in accordance with the norms and requirements in a timely manner. Additionally, the revision of the system should cover the core requirements of the norms and be practicable. The system should be supervised to ensure that 100% of the implementation is in accordance with the system.

Making clinical teaching visible-A time and motion study of hospital rounds in undergraduate medical teaching.

Background: Teaching medical students in the clinical setting is frequently perceived as a demanding commitment by attending physicians. There is a paucity of data measuring the duration and efficacy of teaching during clinical rounds. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess both the quantity and quality of clinical teaching time dedicated to medical students on hospital ward rounds. Methods: A cross-sectional direct structured observational study was conducted during the morning rounds of attending physicians involved in teaching undergraduate medical students at three different clinical facilities in three different specialties. A validated observational tool was used by four observers to record teaching time and quality indicators. Results: In terms of teaching duration, it was observed that 25% of the total morning round time was allocated to teaching. However, this measure varied widely between different physicians and specialties. As for teaching quality, actions categorized as active teaching by the teachers were observed in 19% of the interactions observed per round, while active learning by the students was observed in 17% of the interactions per round. Teacher high-cognition interactions were similarly observed in 23% of actions per round, while student high-cognition interactions occurred in 16% of actions per round. Internal Medicine tended to score higher than both Pediatrics and Surgery in terms of percentage teaching time as well as percentage of active teaching observed per round. Using liberal criteria, rounds characterized overall as predominantly active or high-cognition by both teachers and students were observed in only 21% of the total number of rounds observed. Conclusion: These results indicate that the percentage of teaching time during ward rounds is highly variable, and that round teaching generally consists of passive and low-cognition interactions. Future work is needed to train clinical faculty to achieve a desired level of teaching quality, and to determine if there are any changes in teaching time commitments and student outcomes.

Improving the quality of care for medical inpatients by placing a higher priority on ward rounds.

Models suggested for managing acute, non-elective, medical admissions include expanding geriatric services, extending the role of the acute physician and rejuvenating the role of the general physician. We investigated improving inpatient care by changing consultants' work patterns and placing a higher priority on the ward rounds. A focus group and a questionnaire were used to study the impact on several ward round parameters. All respondents reported an overall satisfaction: 93% rated the quality of care as good or excellent, 75% reported increased safe patient discharges and 68% observed improved teamwork. Length of stay reduced to 4 days from 5.3 days without an increase in readmission. The main themes showed improved quality of care, better assured patients and relatives, and better consultant job satisfaction, but also showed reduced junior doctors' independent decision-making and a slight reduction in specialty-related activity. The study concluded that placing a higher priority on ward rounds by altering consultants' work patterns has a positive impact on inpatient care.

Development of individual competencies and team performance in interprofessional ward rounds: results of a study with multimodal observations at the Heidelberg Interprofessional Training Ward.

Introduction: Interprofessional training wards (IPTW) aim to improve undergraduates' interprofessional collaborative practice of care. Little is known about the effects of the different team tasks on IPTW as measured by external assessment. In Heidelberg, Germany, four nursing and four medical undergraduates (= one cohort) care for up to six patients undergoing general surgery during a four-week placement. They learn both professionally and interprofessionally, working largely on their own responsibility under the supervision of the medical and nursing learning facilitators. Interprofessional ward rounds are a central component of developing individual competencies and team performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate individual competencies and team performance shown in ward rounds. Methods: Observations took place in four cohorts of four nursing and four medical undergraduates each. Undergraduates in one cohort were divided into two teams, which rotated in morning and afternoon shifts. Team 1 was on morning shift during the first (t0) and third (t1) weeks of the IPTW placement, and Team 2 was on morning shift during the second (t0) and fourth (t1) weeks. Within each team, a tandem of one nursing and one medical undergraduate cared for a patient room with three patients. Ward round observations took place with each team and tandem at t0 and t1 using the IP-VITA instrument for individual competencies (16 items) and team performance (11 items). Four hypotheses were formulated for statistical testing with linear mixed models and correlations. Results: A total of 16 nursing and medical undergraduates each were included. There were significant changes in mean values between t0 and t1 in individual competencies (Hypothesis 1). They were statistically significant for all three sum scores: "Roles and Responsibilities", Patient-Centeredness", and "Leadership". In terms of team performance (Hypothesis 2), there was a statistically significant change in mean values in the sum score "Roles and Responsibilities" and positive trends in the sum scores "Patient-Centeredness" and "Decision-Making/Collaborative Clinical Reasoning". Analysis of differences in the development of individual competencies in the groups of nursing and medical undergraduates (Hypothesis 3) showed more significant differences in the mean values of the two groups in t0 than in t1. There were significant correlations between individual competencies and team performance at both t0 and t1 (Hypothesis 4). Discussion: The study has limitations due to the small sample and some sources of bias related to the external assessment by means of observation. Nevertheless, this study offers insights into interprofessional tasks on the IPTW from an external assessment. Results from quantitative and qualitative analysis of learners self-assessment are confirmed in terms of roles and responsibilities and patient-centeredness. It has been observed that medical undergraduates acquired and applied skills in collaborative clinic reasoning and decision-making, whereas nursing undergraduates acquired leadership skills. Within the study sample, only a small group of tandems remained constant over time. In team performance, the group of constant tandems tended to perform better than the group of random tandems. The aim of IPTW should be to prepare healthcare team members for the challenge of changing teams. Therefore, implications for IPTW implementation could be to develop learning support approaches that allow medical and nursing undergraduates to bring interprofessional competencies to team performance, independent of the tandem partner or team.

Patient Care Boards - A tool to promote patient participation during hospital ward rounds.

Objective: This pre-post intervention study investigated the effectiveness of the Patient Care Board (PCB) as a tool to increase the participation of patients and relatives during hospital ward rounds. Methods: Using The Activity Barometer (TAB), we rated 121 video-recorded rounds to compare participation before and after implementing the PCB into clinical practice. Associations between scores for the extent to which patients ask questions or express preferences and concerns were tested with multiple linear regression. Results: TAB-scores tended to be higher after implementing the PCB, especially for the relatives. However, no significant differences were found. The greatest impact on participation was time spent on rounds (p < 0.001). Preparing questions in advance of the round, as well as using anatomical drawings for explanations, increased patient participation (p = 0.041, 0.024). Furthermore, the implementation of the PCB led to higher nurse attendance (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Although we found tendencies towards higher participation, the study could not confirm a significant impact of the overall intervention. Innovation: Our results suggest that further research is needed, to ensure a higher degree of preparation among the patients, better opportunities for relatives to participate as well as integration of visual information in the rounds.

[Measuring individual competencies and team performance in clinical learning settings of interprofessional collaborative practice: Empirical development of the Interprofessional Ward Round Individual and Team Assessment Tool (IP-VITA)]. / Individuelle Kompetenzen und Team-Performance in klinischen Lernsettings der interprofessionellen Zusammenarbeit erfassen: Die empirische Entwicklung des Interprofessionelle Visiten Individual und Team Assessment Tools (IP-VITA).

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional training wards (IPTW) can contribute to the development of interprofessional competencies. In order to evaluate the acquisition of competencies, instruments are needed that record both team performance and individual competencies in the clinical teaching setting in third-party assessment. This paper describes the Interprofessional Ward Round Individual and Team Assessment-Tool, IP-VITA ("Interprofessionelle Visiten Individual und Team Assessment Tool") and its development. METHOD: Based on the empirical exploration of the three observation instruments "Teamwork Assessment Scale" (TAS), "McMaster-Ottawa Scale" and "Individual Teamwork Observation and Feedback Tool" (iTOFT) in at least four rounds each at the HIPSTA (with n=8 students and trainees each), a preliminary version of the IP-VITA was created. This preliminary version was then refined in subsequent empirical steps: a consensual validation in the research team was followed by a "member check" with the clinical colleagues of the HIPSTA, the input from external experts and an empirical test in an alternative setting. RESULTS: The IP-VITA is an empirically developed multimodal instrument to assess the interprofessional competencies of trainees and students as well as their team performance in clinical settings with patient interaction. It comprises three parts. In part A, structural data, the persons involved and the essential patient characteristics are recorded. Part B consists of 12 items and a free-text field for recording behaviour at the individual level. Part C also consists of 12 items and evaluates behaviour at team level. DISCUSSION: The IP-VITA instrument was developed specifically for the context of evaluating interprofessional ward rounds in a clinical educational setting. The instrument takes into account the ambiguous position of the assessment of interprofessional collaboration between individual competence and team performance. Beyond the HIPSTA, it can be used as a formative assessment instrument, and it may also be useful for summative assessments.

The Pros and Cons of Use of Handheld Electronic Devices During Ward Rounds and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The exponential use of handheld electronic devices (HEDs) among healthcare providers has shown the potential to enhance clinical workflows and improve patient care. However, the challenges and risks of carrying these devices during ward rounds and their impact on postgraduate trainees' (PGTs') training in general and more specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic need to be explored. Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods online survey was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of trainees and faculty at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International accredited residency and fellowships programs in Qatar on the use of HEDs on clinical workflow, trainees' education, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. One hundred and fifty-eight participants were enrolled in the study (87 postgraduate trainees and 71 faculty). Exploratory data analysis and descriptive statistics were performed using STATA version 12 and thematic analysis of 301 qualitative responses to the survey open-ended questions using Atlas. ti qualitative software, version 9.4.0. Results: Almost all PGTs, 83 (95.4%), and faculty 43 (62.3%) use HEDs during ward rounds. Accessibility of patient information by PGTs 73 (94.8%) and faculty 46 (84.4%) and work efficiency were the main perceived benefits. Hindering communication between team members, disruption of interaction with patients, increased risk of infection and breach of patient confidentiality were among the challenges associated with their use. Carrying devices reduced the frequency of hand hygiene practices and physical examinations of patients by trainees. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in the use of HEDs by both faculty [38(64%)] and PGTs [42(60%)]. Conclusion: HEDs' use is valued by both faculty and PGTs in enhancing workflow, trainees' education, patient experience, and patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduate medical education leaders should adopt measures to monitor their use during ward rounds as they can negatively impact trainees' education, reduce interaction with patients, increase the risk of infection, and breach patient confidentiality.

Education During Ward Rounds: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Enhancing the educational experience provided by ward rounds requires an understanding of current perceptions of the educational value of rounds. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examines perceptions of education in ward rounds, educational activities in ward rounds, barriers to learning, and perceptions of simulation-based ward rounds. METHODS: The 2020 PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. MEDLINE (EBSCO), Cochrane, and Scopus were searched on May 29, 2022, for studies assessing learning during ward rounds. The search terms included "ward rounds," "education," and "trainees." Then, the selected articles were reference searched. In total, 354 articles were retrieved. The articles were assessed for eligibility by 2 independent reviewers who screened titles, abstracts, and full-length texts. Articles addressing trainees' education in all ward rounds were included. Articles were excluded if they were specific to certain disciplines, were reviews, were not published in scholarly journals, were published before 2015, were published in languages other than English, or did not concern human participants. Following the removal of 63 duplicates, a total of 268 articles were excluded. The risk of bias within the selected articles was also assessed via the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for qualitative research. Qualitative data were used to describe results in a narrative synthesis and in tables. RESULTS: A total of 23 articles were included. Perceptions of teaching in rounds were addressed by 6 studies, of which 3 showed negative perceptions among participants, 2 reported ambivalent perceptions, and 1 showed positive perceptions. Perceived barriers to teaching during rounds were assessed by 7 studies. The reported barriers included time constraints, workloads, schedules, interruptions, the service-oriented nature of rounds, the lack of feedback, hierarchies, the lack of opportunities to ask questions and be engaged in patient management, and divergent learner needs. Further, 8 studies identified types of educational activities, including observation, patient-specific teaching, and discussion. Perceptions of learning through simulated ward rounds were assessed by 8 studies, and a consensus of satisfaction was noted among learners. The interventions that were explored to improve education included using teaching frameworks, involving clinical librarians, and changing the setting of ward rounds. CONCLUSIONS: The main limitations of this review are the predominant use of qualitative data in the included articles and the lack of standardization for the educational compositions of ward rounds among articles, which made the articles hard to compare. In conclusion, learning opportunities in ward rounds are often missed, and trainees perceive rounds to have low educational value. It is important to recognize the barriers to education during ward rounds and address them to maximize the benefits of ward rounds. Finally, there is a need to develop plans that incorporate teaching regularly during ward rounds in the inpatient setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022337736; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=337736.

[Interprofessional Training for Discharge Planning: Effects of Self-Efficacy in Nursing and Medical Students]. / Interprofessionelle Schulung für die Spital-Austrittsplanung: Effekte der Selbstwirksamkeit bei Pflege- und Medizinstudierenden.

Interprofessional Training for Discharge Planning: Effects of Self-Efficacy in Nursing and Medical Students Abstract. Concordant and methodical briefing about a patient's disposition for discharge from hospital within the interprofessional ward round can facilitate a timely discharge. However, interprofessional ward rounds require not only professional skills but also knowledge of interprofessional cooperation between all the occupational groups involved. The question arose whether students of the various professions could learn the necessary competencies during their studies. To this end, a training course on interprofessional discharge planning was developed for nursing and medical students. The training includes four phases consisting of flipped classroom and interprofessional skills training. After each phase, a questionnaire was distributed to assess the self-efficacy of participating nursing and medical students regarding their interprofessional collaboration skills. The results showed that self-efficacy increased steadily with increasing study duration from phase 1 to 4. The study also shows that despite the differences between nursing and medical school curricula, students' self-efficacy regarding interprofessional collaboration skills increased during the IAVI training, which strongly suggests that they benefited from the training.