Do junior house officers routinely test visual acuity and perform ophthalmoscopy?
Our objective was to assess junior house officer (JHO) practice of visual acuity testing and ophthalmoscopy in clerking patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study using a standardised structured interview technique.


METHODS
A Scottish university teaching hospital employing 65 JHOs.


METHODS
All medical and surgical JHOs from this hospital were interviewed over a three month period.


METHODS
Questionnaire-based data on the subjective responses studying current practice of visual acuity testing, and direct ophthalmoscopy with and without topical mydriatics.


RESULTS
18.5% and 4.6% of participants perform daily ophthalmoscopy and visual acuity testing respectively. Most do not routinely use the Snellen chart (80.0%) or topical mydriatics during ophthalmoscopy (75.4%). JHOs claimed these were not easily available in the wards.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of JHOs fail to test visual acuity or perform ophthalmoscopy in clerking patients. This study highlights the poor availability of Snellen charts, functioning ophthalmoscopes, and topical mydriatics in the wards. This warrants further investigation.
Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, South Wales.
G S
GS
Ang
B
B
Dhillon
D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000592:standards; D014792:Visual Acuity