title: Patients' attitude towards bedside teaching in Tunisia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess patient' reaction towards bedside teaching at the University Hospital of Monastir (Tunisia) and to identify the factors that may influence it.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted during December 2012 at the University Hospital of Monastir. Each department, except the psychiatric department and the intensive care units, was visited in one day. All inpatients present on the day of the study were interviewed by four trained female nurses using a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 401 patients approached, 356 (88.8%) agreed to participate. In general, the results demonstrate that patients were positive toward medical students' participation. The highest acceptance rates were found in situations where there is no direct contact between the patient and the student (e.g. when reading their medical file, attending ward rounds and observing doctor examining them). As the degree of students' involvement increased, the refusal rate increased. Gender, age, educational level, marital status and the extent of students' involvement in patient's care were identified as the main factors affecting patients' attitude.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taking advantage of this attitude, valorizing patient role as educator and using further learning methods in situations where patient's consent for student involvement was not obtained should be considered to guarantee optimal care and safety to patients and good medical education to future physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and preventive medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Arwa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Salah
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and preventive medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El Mhamdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and preventive medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bouanene
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and preventive medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sriha
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and preventive medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soltani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Tunisia; bedside teaching; medical education; medical students; patient acceptance of health care