A simple way to improve learning
experience. Dr John Waugh FRACP FRACMA
Director of Paediatrics.
Conjoint Deputy Head, Caboolture Hospital
Northside Clinical School,
School of Medicine UQ
Elizabeth de Boer
UQ MD / MBBS Phase I & II
Student Coordinator
Caboolture Hospital
Northside Clinical School
School of Medicine UQ
Many opinions, few studies.
Does the use of student’s
names improve engagement
during clinical terms? Personalised messaging improves problem-solving and
retention in an on line environment. Moreno et al J Educ
Psych 2000
Many monographs and opinion pieces but little
quantified study.
Perceived self-evident benefits?
Engagement
Cultural modeling
Hypothesis That engagement and learning in clinical rotations can be improved by
addressing students by name.
Questions:
Do clinical teachers and learners believe that being addressed by name
is important to the learning experience?
Do clinical teachers believe they make efforts to address students by
name?
Do students remember being addressed by name?
Methods Email ‘Survey Monkey’ of medical staff and students at Caboolture Hospital
Convenience sample of all medical staff and students.
Presumed all medical staff are involved in teaching.
Statistical analysis by chi square or Fisher exact test.
Questions Is it important to address students individually by name?
5 point likert scale
If you are a teacher, do you address students by name?
never, sometimes, always.
If you are a student, how often are you addressed by
name?
Never, sometimes, usually.
What is your role?
Student, Consultant, Registrar/PHO, JHO/SHO, Intern.
Demographics 207 Surveys sent by email, 167 doctors and 40 students.
24 Students (60%response)
27 Doctors (16% response)
51 Responses in total (25% response rate overall),
Doctors = 11 Consultants, 10 Registrars, 4 RMOs and 2 Interns.
Students = 3rd and 4th year MBBS /MD clinical students attached to Caboolture (Medicine, Surgery, Mental Health, O&G, Paediatrics & Child Health, Critical Care (EM, ICU and Anaesthetics)
Results Belief that use of a student’s name was helpful or very important for student
engagement.
25/27 doctors (93%)
24/24 students (100%)
Addressing students by name.
22/27 doctors (81%) “always”.
09/24 students (37%) reported “usually” (p=0.002).
Discussion Students and teachers agreed that use of a student’s
name is helpful or very important in the student’s
learning experience.
Significant discrepancy between students’ reporting of
being addressed by name and teachers’ recollection.
Weakness in low response rate from clinical teachers.
Low response rate may explain discrepancy in teacher’s
report and student experience.
Part of a bigger problem? Introductions and hand
washing.
At the start of every
patient interaction or
bedside handover.
Both omitted with
patients often.
How to change usual
practices?
Future Intentions
Further exploration with local clinical teachers regarding
strategies to engage and include students.
Observation by students included in regular term feedback.
Awareness of broader context of the effect of social
interactions on healthcare teams.
Potential for further study.
Caring Together Initiative Caboolture Hospital Queensland
Health
Caring together with
Queensland Health
