Medical Trainee Designation: Staff Confusion and Potential Impact on Patients & Training

¹Consultant Psychiatrist, Berkshire Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK.

²Psychiatry Specialist Registrar, Oxford Deanery, UK.

³Honorary Clinical Tutor, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, UK.

Corresponding Author: Farshad Shaddel, MRCPsych, SFHEA, Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disability, Oxford University Medical Education Fellow, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK. Tel: 0113 2955432; E-Mail: f_shaddel@yahoo.

Received Date: 6 Jun 2016  
Accepted Date: 15 Jun 2016 
Published Date: 20 Jun 2016

Copyright © 2016 Shaddel F

Citation: Shaddel F, Ghazirad M and O'Leary D. (2016). Medical Trainee Designation: Staff Confusion and Potential Impact on Patients & Training. Mathews J Psychiatry Ment Health. 1(1): 004.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The complexity of new terms for UK trainee doctors has raised concerns for patient safety and teamworking. Older terms (junior or resident) may compound these effects. This study explores other team-members': (i) understanding of the new terminology; (ii) accuracy of matching clinical tasks to the core training grade; and (iii) attitudes to the term "junior".

Methods: Fifty staff from two psychiatric healthcare providers were surveyed. Respondents selected the doctor grade they would ask to complete 8 clinical tasks, chosen from competencies expected of the core training grade. Experience based models of training provided the conceptual framework.

Results: Only 14% self-rated as having a partial or complete understanding of the new terms. Signposting of clinical tasks was mismatched to the core trainee grade. Up to 10% signposted more complex tasks to training grades above their competency expectations. The term "junior" was negatively perceived and linked to requests for more senior input.

Discussion: The results support findings that only 22% of surgical nurses fully understood the new terminology; they extend them by demonstration of risks to patient care and reduced training opportunities. National training bodies and employers considering changes to terminology should ensure steps to address these risks.

KEYWORDS

Trainee Terminology; Training Opportunities; Patient Safety.