title: Developing non-technical ward-round skills.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform. There is evidence that newly qualified doctors are not adequately prepared by their undergraduate experiences for this task. The aim of this study was to analyse the challenges pertaining to non-technical skills that students would face during ward rounds, and to create a model that facilitates the transition from medical student to doctor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 217 final-year medical students completed a simulated ward round. Free-text responses were analysed using template analysis applying an a priori template developed from the literature by the research team. This drew on the generic categories of non-technical skills suggested by Flin et al.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven per cent of students agreed or strongly agreed that the simulated ward round improved their insight into the challenges of ward rounds and their perceived ability to work efficiently as an active member of the ward round. The responding students (206) submitted written feedback describing the learning that they planned to use: 800 learning points were recorded, and all could be categorised into one of seven non-technical skills. Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that improved task efficiency and insight into the challenges of the ward round gained by medical students will lead to an enhancement in performance during clinical rounds, and will have a positive impact on patient safety. We would suggest that undergraduate medical schools consider this model in the preparation for the clinical practice element of the curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Directorate, Postgraduate Education Centre, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Directorate, Postgraduate Education Centre, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mellanby
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Directorate, Postgraduate Education Centre, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Effie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dearden
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Directorate, Postgraduate Education Centre, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Karima
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Medjoub
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Directorate, Postgraduate Education Centre, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edgar
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D002983:Clinical Competence; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D003142:Communication; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007857:Leadership; D007858:Learning; D010348:Patient Care Team; D000066908:Simulation Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D056164:Teaching Rounds / Q000458:organization & administration*