A structured course teaching junior doctors invasive medical procedures results in sustained improvements in self-reported confidence.
Pressure on working hours has led to a decrease in opportunities for training in invasive medical procedures for junior doctors. The effect of a structured course on immediate and medium-term changes in self-reported confidence was investigated. A one-day model-based practical course was run on two separate occasions teaching central venous line placement, lumbar puncture, Seldinger-technique chest drain insertion and knee joint aspiration. Attendees were asked to indicate their confidence in each procedure on a 10-point Likert scale before, immediately after and three months after the course. Significant improvements in self-reported confidence were seen for all procedures which were sustained at three months. Feedback was universally positive. Practical preclinical training may be a useful adjunct to patient-based training in invasive procedures. The course was particularly popular with foundation year trainees: ideally this training should be available before trainees' first exposure in the clinical setting.
Department of Medicine, East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, Surrey. tobygarrood@gstt.nhs.uk
T
T
Garrood
A
A
Iyer
K
K
Gray
H
H
Prentice
R
R
Bamford
R
R
Jenkin
N
N
Shah
R
R
Gray
B
B
Mearns
J C
JC
Ratoff
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods; D015505:Chest Tubes; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000379:methods; D013396:Suction / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*