Medical Education 2011: 45: 1190–1198 Objectives  Workplace‐based assessment (WPBA) is an increasingly important part of postgraduate medical training and its results may be used as evidence of professional competence. This study evaluates the ability of WPBA to distinguish UK Foundation Programme (FP) doctors with training difficulties and its effectiveness as a surrogate marker for deficiencies in professional competence. Methods  We conducted a retrospective observational study using anonymised records for 1646 trainees in a single UK postgraduate deanery. Data for WPBAs conducted from August 2005 to April 2009 were extracted from the e‐portfolio database. These data included all scores submitted by trainees in FP years 1 and 2 on mini‐clinical evaluation exercise (mini‐CEX), case‐based discussion (CbD), direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) and mini‐peer assessment tool (mini‐PAT) assessments. Records of trainees in difficulty, as identified by their educational supervisors, were tagged as index cases. Main outcome measures were odds ratios (ORs) for associations between mean WPBA scores and training difficulties. Further analyses by the reported aetiology of the training difficulty (health‐, conduct‐ or performance‐related) were performed. Results  Of the 1646 trainees, 92 had been identified as being in difficulty. Mean CbD and mini‐CEX scores were lower for trainees in difficulty and an association was found between identified training difficulties and average scores on the mini‐CEX (OR = 0.54; p = 0.034) and CbD (OR = 0.39; p = 0.002). A receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of mean WPBA scores for diagnosing ‘in difficulty’ status yielded an area under the curve of 0.64, indicating weak predictive value. There was no statistical evidence that mean scores on DOPS and mini‐PAT assessments differed between the two groups. Conclusions  Analysis of a large dataset of WPBA scores revealed significant associations between training difficulties and lower mean scores on both the mini‐CEX and CbD. Models show that using WPBA scores is, however, not a valid way of screening for trainees in difficulty. Workplace‐based assessments have value as formative assessments that prompt supervision, feedback and reflection. They should not be relied upon to certify competence and their use for such ends may reduce their effectiveness in training. Their results should be interpreted in the context of multiple other methods of assessment, with the aim of achieving a genuinely holistic and representative assessment of professional competence.

No abstract

BackgroundIntrahospital transfers have become more common as hospital staff balance patient needs with bed availability. However, this may leave patients more vulnerable to potential pathogen transmission routes via increased exposure to contaminated surfaces and contacts with individuals.ObjectiveThis study aimed to quantify the association between the number of intrahospital transfers undergone during a hospital spell and the development of a hospital-acquired infection (HAI).MethodsA retrospective case–control study was conducted using data extracted from electronic health records and microbiology cultures of non-elective, medical admissions to a large urban hospital network which consists of three hospital sites between 2015 and 2018 (n=24 240). As elderly patients comprise a large proportion of hospital users and are a high-risk population for HAIs, the analysis focused on those aged 65 years or over. Logistic regression was conducted to obtain the OR for developing an HAI as a function of intrahospital transfers until onset of HAI for cases, or hospital discharge for controls, while controlling for age, gender, time at risk, Elixhauser comorbidities, hospital site of admission, specialty of the dominant healthcare professional providing care, intensive care admission, total number of procedures and discharge destination.ResultsOf the 24 240 spells, 2877 cases were included in the analysis. 72.2% of spells contained at least one intrahospital transfer. On multivariable analysis, each additional intrahospital transfer increased the odds of acquiring an HAI by 9% (OR=1.09; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13).ConclusionIntrahospital transfers are associated with increased odds of developing an HAI. Strategies for minimising intrahospital transfers should be considered, and further research is needed to identify unnecessary transfers. Their reduction may diminish spread of contagious pathogens in the hospital environment.