Healthy Volunteers
Conditions
Keywords
Non-technical attributes, Surgical training, Communication style, Risk aversion, Reaction to uncertainty, Self-assessment
Brief summary
This study consists of an analysis of the communication styles and attitudes towards risk and uncertainty (i.e. non-technical attributes) in a surgical population with varying clinical experience. The study aims to investigate the differences and specific patterns in non-technical attributes that may be discerned in these groups and how these non technical attributes develop throughout surgical training.
Detailed description
This study evaluated the communication styles and attitudes towards risk and uncertainty in a population of surgical candidates (pre- and postgraduates), surgical trainees and surgical staff members, from the specialties of general surgery, orthopedics, urology and plastic surgery. After signing informed consent, participants complete an on-line questionnaire, which contains a set of validated tools. Initially, a cross-sectional analysis of the non-technical attributes will be conducted, to identify any patters, similarities or differences between participant groups. The study hypothesis is that significant differences can be observed in participant attributes, which relate to their clinical experience. Additionally, surgical candidates who agree to participate in this study and are accepted for a surgical training in either general surgery, orthopaedics, urology or plastic surgery, will be invited to repeat the questionnaire at a 2-year interval, to investigate the evolution of their non-technical attributes throughout their training and to identify general patterns.
Interventions
OTHERRating scales concerning non-technical attributes
Sponsors
University Ghent
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Inclusion criteria
* Participant is part of any of the following groups: * Applicant for surgical training in general surgery, orthopedics, urology or plastic surgery. * Trainee in general surgery, orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery. * Staff in general surgery, orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery. * Participant is active at Ghent University Hospital or an affiliated training hospital. No
Exclusion criteria
apply to this study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Participant communication styles | Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. | Communication Styles Inventory-96 scale:Subdomains: Expressiveness (range: 1-5); Preciseness (range: 1-5); Verbal aggressiveness (range: 1-5); Questioningness (range: 1-5); Emotionality (range: 1-5); Impression manipulativeness (range: 1-5) |
| Participant attitudes towards uncertainty | Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. For the candidate group, this measure is repeated on a selection day during the surgical selection process, +- 1 - 2 months after study inclusion | Physicians' Reactions to Uncertainty (PRU) scale: Anxiety due to uncertainty (Range: 5-30 ); Concern about bad outcomes (3-18); Reluctance to disclose uncertainty to patients (Range: 5-30); Reluctance to disclose mistakes to physicians (Range 2-12) |
| Participant attitudes towards taking risks | Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. For the candidate group, this measure is repeated on a selection day during the surgical selection process, +- 1 - 2 months after study inclusion | Physicians' risk attitude (PRA) Scale (Range: 2-12) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Participant perceived actual health status | Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. | Short Form-36 scale (Range: 10-50) |
Outcome results
None listed