Innovative curriculum is needed to address residents’ attitudes toward older adults: the case of geriatric trauma

BMC Medical Education

卷:22

Michael Kim¹  Brett Mador¹  Najma Ahmed²  Matthew P. Guttman³  Avery B. Nathens³  Barbara Haas³  Lesley Gotlib Conn³  Sarah Wheeler³ 

[1] Department of Surgery, University of Alberta;

[2] Department of Surgery, University of Toronto;

[3] Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto;

关键词: Resident education;    Curriculum;    Geriatric;    Trauma;    Surgical training;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12909-022-03196-y

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Medical trainees’ negative perceptions towards older adult care have been widely reported, catalyzing targeted curricula in geriatric medicine. Little is known about surgical residents’ attitudes toward and perceptions of the educational value of caring for injured older adults. This information is needed to ensure the surgical workforce is adequately trained to care for this growing patient population. In this study, we assessed surgical trainees’ attitudes towards geriatric trauma care to inform a curriculum in geriatric trauma. Methods We surveyed North American general surgery trainees’ beliefs and attitudes toward caring for older trauma patients, and the educational value they ascribed to learning about older trauma patient care. Descriptive statistics were used to report participant characteristics and responses. Results Three hundred general surgery trainees from 94 post-graduate programs responded. Respondents reported too much time co-ordinating care (56%), managing non-operative patients (56%), and discharge planning (65%), all activities important to the care of older trauma patients. They recognized the importance of geriatric trauma care for their future careers (52%) but were least interested in reading about managing geriatric trauma patients (28%). When asked to rank clinical vignettes by educational value, respondents ranked the case of an older adult as least interesting (74%). As respondents progressed through their training, they reported less interest in geriatric trauma care. Conclusions Our survey results demonstrate the generally negative attitudes and beliefs held by postgraduate surgical trainees towards the care of older adult trauma patients. Future work should focus on identifying specific changes to the postgraduate surgical curriculum which can effectively alter these attitudes and beliefs and improve the care for injured older adults.

【 授权许可】

Unknown