Análisis económico

8) Context of feedback (clinical workplace)

133 Themes

Several major themes emerged after exploration of these qualitative data (Table 16).

These themes include the purpose of WBA, using WBA “properly”, trainee-trainer relationship and culture of WBA and feedback. These themes influence How WBA are used, WBA and change in practice and feedback outside WBA. These themes are situated within the context of clinical environment.

1) Purpose of WBA

Trainers discussed their perceptions of the purpose of WBA. Some trainers’ spoke of their

use of WBA as an assessment for learning. They described that WBA gave them the opportunity to sit with a trainee and engage in feedback interactions. Trainers also commented that they found the structure of WBA useful in guiding their feedback to trainees. Trainers also spoke about their perceptions of WBA as an assessment of what trainees had learnt.

A) assessment for learning

“It is a tool for making sure that constructive feedback occurs. It is an aide memoire really.”

[FGB]

“it’s a good way of documenting that you have chatted. That you have discussed cases and that ... you and your registrar both have a focus for training and what is missing in training going forwards.” [C.5]

WBA also helped trainers structure their feedback to trainees.

“If you look at the PBA’s …. It does remind us a lot of things. Those forms are pretty extensive. Then we have to go to each step” [2.2].

“P2: I like the structure but at least you can say:

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Some trainers valued the framework WBA offered as it enabled them to structure their approach to feedback with poorly performing trainees.

“I think for a difficult trainee it is helpful… Because it gives you the structure to say actually that (difficult?) bit” [F]

B) assessment of learning

“I think we are doing both now. Ticking boxes just for the ARCP’s sake and then to prepare

surgeons with oral feedback and on table (at the operating table) constant discussions”

[2.1]

“I am not sure if there is any assessment done of the quality of each one rather than just the fact that it has been done. How many that have no comment on them at all…And they have just clicked the box to get them ticked

P3: Because in the ARCPs you can’t look through 48” [F.8].

Some trainers also seemed a little confused about the actual role of WBA as an assessment for, or of learning.

“they are not meant to be summative are they are meant to be formative .. so you shouldn’t be looking at this as a .. assessment [F].”

C) as a test of organisational skills

Some trainers felt that that WBA played a role in assessing the organisational skills of trainees. Whilst this was not one of their intended roles some trainers perceived that testing trainees organisational and administrative skills was worthwhile as it was a marker of their preparedness for the administrative side of their future role as a consultant.

“Because they are disorganised. … I mean X would send me things after every single theatre list because X was very organised” [F.1]

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2) Using WBA properly (within the context of time, timing of WBA and time for

training)

Many trainers discussed ideas around using WBA properly. This relates to context of timing of WBA and making time for training. This was captured succinctly by one trainer.

“my feeling is that they need to be filled in properly i.e. honestly. It needs to be done at an appropriate time i.e. immediately after the training episode and the feedback needs to be honest and it needs to be agreed by both. And used to then move onto further training episodes. You know - identify training needs. That’s what I think it’s for … it’s not a stick it’s a tool for training.” [D.2].

Other trainers were not so articulate in their explanation of using WBA properly.

“Ok if you are doing Lap Choley fine .. I will be able to sign off the form but if you were doing an aneurysm you wouldn’t be in the mood to sign the form next ten minutes isn’t it. Probably they will have to send the form next day or the following day. Maybe not two months later” [2]

A) Trainees need to be proactive

Trainers described that they thought that trainees need to be proactive in seeking feedback. Trainers suggest that if trainees are proactive in seeking feedback using WBA then trainers find it hard to refuse this.

“If they grab me and say do this at the end of the case, then I don’t mind. But they have to grab me and most of the time it is 5 - 10 minutes, you can do that over a coffee … which you are doing anyway” [F].

However, trainers are aware that trainees are sometimes not pro-active in seeking feedback as they are worried about the possible outcomes of feedback.

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“the problem with that of course is that you can cherry pick your PBA’s and again if you are worried about things.” [D.1]

B) Quality/Accuracy of feedback provision using WBA i) Contemporaneous use

Contemporaneous use of WBA allows trainers the opportunity to provide accurate feedback and so fulfil their purpose as an assessment for learning.

“I 100% sit down with them (at the time). I always sit down otherwise I find it is just meaningless” [F.1].

“if you have to sit down with a PBA you can sit down and identify the points. Which is why it needs to be done at the time instead of sending me an email a week later.” [D.3]

“Because you know that’s the time when the operation was fresh in your mind. There may be a nuance you will miss if you do it two or three days or a week later.” [C.5]

“…if you can’t remember specific cases unless as you say earlier on right I want this to be a PBA. I want this to be a procedure assessment on this gallbladder I am doing or hernia then we are all switched on to it and ideally you do it within a short time frame of it been done when everyone remembers it.” [D]

ii) Delayed use

Whereas other trainers described that they often received requests for WBA sometime after they had performed a theatre case or worked with a trainee. Trainers also described receiving requests to complete WBA when they were unaware that they had been undertaking a WBA when they had been involved in managing a patient case with a trainee. When completing WBA after a time delay trainers report being more likely to provide global as opposed to specific feedback.

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“P1: I think it is very variable because some of the time you haven’t been aware that you were doing a WBA at all and this ticket mysteriously arrives in your inbox saying you have a CBD to complete for trainee whoever and you are not even sure which patient it was about really and you don’t remember a particularly meaningful encounter but you feel very mean if then you don’t do it“ [Int1.2]

“I think the main problem for me with them is that we don’t do them in real time after the event. It gets sent sometime afterwards. Sometimes I don’t know that the registrar wants assessing on a particular thing and then 2, 3 weeks later or even longer 2, 3 months later I get one coming through saying remember the anterior resection we did together Could you fill this out for me and that’s the problem.” [B.1]

“I think the forms must be submitted within 5 days, 5 working days. I have had them 4, 3 weeks later and I don’t know what they pertain to so I have said I am not doing it.” [B.2]

Some trainers did admit that they also played a role in delayed completion of WBA electronically.

“we want to blame trainees every trainee does try they say I am sorry yeh I am tired today a long list so this is how the conversation goes on. It is not all the time the trainees.” [2]

“I do it within a week. I don’t do themwithin the same day because I can’t really get time with the trainee on the same day. There’s not time at the end of an all day theatre session I’m not going to sit down and fill forms at six o’clock in the evening.” [C.3].

C) Training required (trainer and trainee)

Trainers stated that they felt both themselves and trainees probably required additional training in using WBA.

“Basically, the much bigger fundamental problem with this ISCP is that nobody has been trained how to fill in ISCP. Not the trainees or clinical or educational supervisors.” [B]

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“I remember going on a training programme for this probably about 5 or 6 years ago, at the Deanery. Sadly, I can’t remember too much about the training hence my confusion in which bits of the form are filled in by the trainer and which bits are filled in by the trainee” [B]

3) Trainer – Trainee relationship

Trainers described that they felt the relationships they had with trainees were important for having honest and open feedback discussions.

“You can’t really be a bull in a china shop and as you go on you get to know (them). I find it easier you know if I know someone to say that was [****] wasn’t it?And they go” Yeh”. Because they know you and they trust you and they sort of say that was **** because we all have good days and bad days” [F.13].

Trainers are aware that they develop different relationships with different trainees and therefore it is good for trainees to have exposure to different consultants to gather assessments from different people

“We won’t all view them in the same manner. You know like X and I may see somebody and X might think they are brilliant and I may not or the other way round. You know what I mean and actually it is important they have those assessments from multiple people

P1: And you may well view them very differently after 12 months than you do after 3” [F.2] Sometimes trainers expressed concerns that the trainer-trainee relationship could be a

disincentive to providing “honest” feedback

“Well these are your registrars you often form a good rapport they work hard for you in other ways and sometimes .. you don’t want them brought down on the basis of one operation that might not have been done so well and it maybe that they have lots of other operations that went pretty well” [B.1]

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4) Culture of WBA and feedback

Trainers spoke about how cultural change was in the process of occurring in surgical training. They also described that they felt that trainees were more likely to challenge their trainer, i.e. themselves, in relation to performance assessments and that WBA could be used as protection or evidence in these encounters.

“I think there is a difference as well with the culture. It takes a long time to change the culture but I think once that’s more into the culture within the system then it will become a lot easier to get them [WBA] done.” [D.2]

Culture also impinged upon approaches to difficult or poorly performing trainees,

“There isn’t a culture of constructive criticism yet within surgical training its coming but it’s not there yet. And I err think you also get a bolshy trainee who will say , “ well what’s your evidence for saying that” and I am afraid I think it is difficult to collect the evidence. [B.3]

5) How WBA are used(relates to using properly and purpose of WBA)

Trainers’ suggested they engaged in using WBA in a variety of ways in different

circumstances. Trainers described their experiences where they felt trainees were

completing WBA to “play the game”. Alternatively, in different feedback encounters

trainers tried to use WBA to provide trainees with “honest” or constructive feedback about

their performance. Trainers also commented on situations where there was a mismatch in

trainees’ perceptions of their clinical performance and trainers’ perceptions based on their observations of trainees practice.

A) Trainees playing the game

Trainers are aware that trainees use of WBA is strategic and many trainees are “playing the game”. Trainees are actively seeking feedback and WBA after they perceive they have

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performed a task well. Trainers can also be complicit in playing the game by not wanting to

put “honest” or negative comments on trainees WBA.

“the problem is at the moment errm they are so sporadic and they are only sending it when they think they have done something well so you have selected good stuff.” [B]

“I do sometimes get registrars sending bad ones or things they have done badly they think and I ask them why have you sent this one and they say so that I can show that I have progressed later on” [B.2].

Trainers perceptions of trainees playing the game are linked to their perceptions of using WBA properly, contemporaneously.

“Quite useful for assessing progress but they need to be done properly not you know being abused by people who are .. you know the problem is whenever you give a target to a doctor or a medical student they hit the target and do no more and then coast and that is human nature. There’s a big difference and I think they are quite useful for assessing how people are getting on.” [D.1]

Trainers perceptions of trainees playing the game are also linked to trainers’ perceptions of WBA as an assessment of trainees learning. Trainers perceptions that trainees have to “tick the boxes” to complete WBA is related to review panels use of WBA as a counting exercise in which some trainers are panel members.

“It does make it almost a counting exercise” [F]

“Workplace based assessments for every trainee. I mean I know sometimes you don’t pick any do you. You just say they have done 58 we haven’t looked back at them (In the ARCP). Trainers are also aware of trainees’ concerns about the possible outcomes of feedback particularly within the context of WBA.

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“P2: I think the point that Mr X made about cherry picking your PBA’s may be relevant. Say perhaps that’s one reason why people don’t ask before the case, can we do a PBA on this case

P1: In case it doesn’t go so well” [D]

B) Trainers delivery of “honest” feedback

Trainers discussed their feelings about providing trainees with honest feedback. Some trainers appear to be comfortable in providing accurate performance feedback to their trainees whereas others were reticent to engage in providing difficult feedback which had information for change in trainee practice. Trainers also discussed why they were reluctant to engage in what some of them described as difficult feedback encounters with trainees.

“everybody knows … they are professionals and as you learn mistakes do happen” [2.1].

“Perhaps it’s not right to give them a lot of heavy criticism but errm if things have gone well then it is always very important to say what they have done well. Because more often than not they do more well than they do less well.” [B.3]

“I think some of us are probably better than others at dealing with poor performing trainees. I don’t think it is easy I don’t think you are ever taught to do. It is the same as dealing with difficult colleagues and patients. It can potentially be confrontational and I think some trainees these days actually I wouldn’t say argue back but challenge what you say.” [F12]

“But I think the problem is the competitive nature of surgery is such that people are afraid of having weakness demonstrated to them” [D]

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C) mismatch in perceptions of trainee performance

Trainers described when they had faced difficult situations where they had attempted to engage in feedback interactions with trainees where they felt that trainees had little insight into their skills.

“P3: I just find it very hard if they have no or very little insight and they are giving themselves very high scores and then all of a sudden to get an email back saying you have gone from very high scores to lots of reds and needs room for improvement without been discussed.” [F.3].

“Frequently I have had a trainee who thinks they are good at something and I have had to say no change it to an amber or a red. And write comments although they have written comments in. Sometimes they have been quite perceptive the comments.” [B.1]

“P1: Well from my experience of these I find that the junior trainees mark them as the one that’s not quite ready for completion and all the senior trainees mark themselves as ready for completion you know and it is very difficult once they have filled it out to tell a senior trainee that you are not ready for completion. Just on the basis of one operation.” [B.2] D) WBA used as a Global Assessment

Some trainers detailed that their use of WBA represented a global assessment of their trainee rather than a specific performance assessment.

… it just seems a bit of a game the whole thing really. It’s er I think there is no substitute for a global sort of score a global feeling about a trainee.” [B]

“P2: It is entirely possible you can be great on the ISCP website and you could be a total psychopath…

P2: We have all worked with them, you know“ [F.3].

“Slightly old style where you observe them for six months and then you give an opinion on whether yes x can do this procedure” [2].

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“It has no validity in terms of an official assessment but we all know that when we have been working with somebody for 6 or 7 months even without this type of assessment we still get a very good impression of how good somebody is. I guess it is translating that down to the screen” [F].