Asif Doja1,2,3, Carolina Lavin Venegas4, Chantalle Clarkin5, Katherine Scowcroft6, Gerry Ashton7, Laura Hopkins8, M Dylan Bould6,4,9, Hilary Writer6,4,9, Glenn Posner6,7. 1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. adoja@cheo.on.ca. 2. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. adoja@cheo.on.ca. 3. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. adoja@cheo.on.ca. 4. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 5. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 6. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 7. The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 8. Division of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 9. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The informal curriculum-an essential complement to the formal curriculum-is delivered to medical trainees through learning outside the classroom. We sought to explore nurse-mediated aspects of trainee education in the informal curriculum in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), as well as nursing perceptions of their role in medical trainee education. METHODS: Naturalistic, non-participant observations (40 h) were performed on a tertiary care birthing unit (BU) to document teaching and learning interactions. Insights gleaned from observations informed subsequent semi-structured interviews with BU nurses (n = 10) and focus group discussions with third-year medical students who had completed an OBGYN rotation (n = 10). Thematic analysis was conducted across data sets. RESULTS: Conceptions of nurse-mediated education differed considerably between nurses and trainees. Nurses were widely acknowledged as gatekeepers and patient advocates by both groups, although this role was sometimes perceived by trainees as impacting on learning. Interest and engagement were noted as mediators of teaching, with enhanced access to educational opportunities reported by trainees who modelled openness and enthusiasm for learning. Nurse-driven education was frequently tailored to the learner's level, with nurses feeling well positioned to share procedural knowledge or hard skills, soft skills (i.e. bedside manners), and clinical insights gained from bedside practice. DISCUSSION: Nurses are instrumental in the education of medical trainees; however, divergence was noted in how this role is enacted in practice. Given the valuable teaching resource BU nurses present, more emphasis should be placed on interprofessional co-learning and the actualization of this role within the informal curriculum.
INTRODUCTION: The informal curriculum-an essential complement to the formal curriculum-is delivered to medical trainees through learning outside the classroom. We sought to explore nurse-mediated aspects of trainee education in the informal curriculum in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), as well as nursing perceptions of their role in medical trainee education. METHODS: Naturalistic, non-participant observations (40 h) were performed on a tertiary care birthing unit (BU) to document teaching and learning interactions. Insights gleaned from observations informed subsequent semi-structured interviews with BU nurses (n = 10) and focus group discussions with third-year medical students who had completed an OBGYN rotation (n = 10). Thematic analysis was conducted across data sets. RESULTS: Conceptions of nurse-mediated education differed considerably between nurses and trainees. Nurses were widely acknowledged as gatekeepers and patient advocates by both groups, although this role was sometimes perceived by trainees as impacting on learning. Interest and engagement were noted as mediators of teaching, with enhanced access to educational opportunities reported by trainees who modelled openness and enthusiasm for learning. Nurse-driven education was frequently tailored to the learner's level, with nurses feeling well positioned to share procedural knowledge or hard skills, soft skills (i.e. bedside manners), and clinical insights gained from bedside practice. DISCUSSION: Nurses are instrumental in the education of medical trainees; however, divergence was noted in how this role is enacted in practice. Given the valuable teaching resource BU nurses present, more emphasis should be placed on interprofessional co-learning and the actualization of this role within the informal curriculum.
Entities:
Keywords:
Informal curriculum; Nursing; Qualitative methodology; Teaching; Undergraduate medical education