Colour Coding Scrubs as a Means of Improving Perioperative Communication

Litak, Dominika

doi:10.1177/175045891102100505

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…In this study, the PAs wore the same colour scrubs as radiographers and doctors, which may have contributed to patient confusion. Previous studies have demonstrated that nonverbal signals, such as uniform scrub colours, can influence communication and perception among patients and staff [ 46 ]. Further studies looking at the process of communication such as de Haes and Bensing [ 47 ] and Taylor, Halter and Drennan's study [ 42 ] would be beneficial to identify specific areas of possible communication breakdown between the PA and patient.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Doctors', Patients' and Physician Associates' Perceptions of the Physician Associate Role in the Emergency Department

King,

Helps,

Ong

et al. 2024

Health Expectations

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IntroductionThe Emergency Department (ED) has seen increased patient attendance and difficulty meeting demands. New healthcare professions such as Physician Associates (PAs) are being utilised to complement the existing medical workforce. Despite the growth of their professions in the United Kingdom, little evidence is available about the perceptions of their roles.ObjectiveThis study aims to provide evidence of doctors', PAs' and patients' perceptions of the PA role in the UK ED.MethodsA mixed methods approach consisted of the following: An online exploratory survey of ED doctors at one English ED over 1 month (February–March 2022). Post consultation semi‐structured patient questionnaires over 2 weeks (April 2022). Semi‐structured virtual interviews with ED consultants across the four regions of the United Kingdom (3 months in 2022). Semi‐structured virtual interviews with ED PAs across the four regions of the United Kingdom (3 months in 2022).The analysis methods that were used included frequency counts and percentages from closed questions, and hybrid thematic analysis of free text and interview transcripts.ResultsFour ED consultants and four ED PAs across the United Kingdom were interviewed. Twenty‐eight ED doctors participated in the online survey. Fifty‐seven patients completed the post consultation questionnaire. Four main themes (PAs being fit for purpose; patient recognition of PAs, PAs providing continuity of care, and future PAs and regulation) were deduced as per the General Medical Council, Good Medical Practice domains (knowledge, skills and development; patients, partnership and communication; colleagues, culture and safety; and trust and professionalism). Other subthemes were induced via hybrid thematic analysis. In this study, doctors and patients had mixed comments about the role of PAs. Most of them were positive as doctor participants perceived PAs to be knowledgeable, highly skilled, with mostly good communication skills, team players, providing continuity of care and overall being fit for purpose. However, some doctor participants commented negatively about PAs for providing little quality healthcare and being inexperienced. There was a desire for career progression among the PA participants and a need to work to their full potential. Although the clinicians of this study displayed a clear understanding of the PA role in the ED, a high frequency of surveyed patients mistook PAs for doctors. It was suggested that future PAs could complete a postqualification programme in emergency medicine, combine roles, be paid on an alternative scale and be formally regulated.ConclusionIn this study, mixed views were expressed by ED consultants, ED junior doctors and patients regarding the role of the PA in the ED. Stakeholders can use the information presented to develop a better understanding of the perceptions of the PA role within the UK ED.Patient or Public ContributionThe Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) group, led by Healthwatch, made significant contributions to the study's design by providing valuable feedback on the information sheets and consent forms utilised. The patients' responses helped guide the study's direction and shape its future work. As part of the dissemination activities, the study findings was shared with both the PPIE team and Healthwatch media production team.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Doctors', Patients' and Physician Associates' Perceptions of the Physician Associate Role in the Emergency Department

King,

Helps,

Ong

et al. 2024

Health Expectations

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Color codes are ubiquitous in the hospital environment. They have been shown to have a beneficial effect on the safe prescription of medication, 14 adherence to patient isolation protocols, 15 safe administration of intravenous fluids, 16 avoidance of incorrect blood sampling, 17 identification of staff groups, 18 flagging patient alerts using wristbands, 19 resuscitation protocols, 20 and patient flow 21 . The result of their success is that we rely heavily on color codes at the expense of other forms of identification.…”

Section: Clinical Color Codes and Color Deficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Color Vision Deficiency Among Doctors: Can We Make Useful Adaptations to the Color Codes Used in the Clinical Environment?

Thomas

Nesaratnam

Chaudhuri-Vayalambrone

et al. 2019

J Patient Saf

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Color vision deficiency (formerly known as color blindness) is common as a congenital and as an acquired condition. Some professions, most famously commercial aviation, require their members to demonstrate normal color vision. In the United States and United Kingdom, no restriction is placed on the ability of the color-deficient doctor to practice medicine, although there is evidence that certain clinical discriminations are harder for such doctors. Generally ignored has been the difficulty and the potential for error that arises from the use of color codes in clinical equipment. In this review, we introduce the basic concepts of color deficiency, summarize evidence for the challenges it poses to the doctor, examine global variation in policy, show the potential for confusion among clinical color codes, and suggest how the current situation could be improved to enhance both patient safety and the wellbeing of the color-deficient doctor.

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“…Physician gaze, body posture, hand movements, tone of voice, facial expression and even scrub colour impact how patients perceive their clinical care and the quality of physician’s communication. 14–18 The interaction between verbal and non-verbal communication is so important to the patient–physician exchange, that many medical educators argue for explicitly training clinicians in this skillset. 19 In healthcare teams, particularly surgery, non-verbal communication enables teams to effectively operate during complex or urgent moments in the surgical encounter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative investigation of trace-based communication: how are traces conceptualised in healthcare teamwork?

Cristancho

Field

2020

BMJ Open

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ObjectivesThis interview-based qualitative study aims to explore how healthcare providers conceptualise trace-based communication and considers its implications for how teams work. In the biological literature, trace-based communication refers to the non-verbal communication that is achieved by leaving ‘traces’ in the environment and other members sensing them and using them to drive their own behaviour. Trace-based communication is a key component of swam intelligence and has been described as a critical process that enables superorganisms to coordinate work and collectively adapt. This paper brings awareness to its existence in the context of healthcare teamwork.DesignInterview-based study using Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology.SettingThis study was conducted in multiple team contexts at one of Canada’s largest acute-care teaching hospitals.Participants25 clinicians from across professions and disciplines. Specialties included surgery, anesthesiology, psychiatry, internal medicine, geriatrics, neonatology, paramedics, nursing, intensive care, neurology and emergency medicine.InterventionNot relevant due to the qualitative nature of the study.Primary and secondary outcomeNot relevant due to the qualitative nature of the study.ResultsThe dataset was analysed using the sensitising concept of ‘traces’ from Swarm Intelligence. This study brought to light novel and unique elements of trace-based communication in the context of healthcare teamwork including focused intentionality, successful versus failed traces and the contextually bounded nature of the responses to traces. While participants initially felt ambivalent about the idea of using traces in their daily teamwork, they provided a variety of examples. Through these examples, participants revealed the multifaceted nature of the purposes of trace-based communication, including promoting efficiency, preventing mistakes and saving face.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that clinicians pervasively use trace-based communication despite differences in opinion as to its implications for teamwork and safety. Other disciplines have taken up traces to promote collective adaptation. This should serve as inspiration to at least start exploring this phenomenon in healthcare.

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Colour Coding Scrubs as a Means of Improving Perioperative Communication

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

Doctors', Patients' and Physician Associates' Perceptions of the Physician Associate Role in the Emergency Department

Doctors', Patients' and Physician Associates' Perceptions of the Physician Associate Role in the Emergency Department

Color Vision Deficiency Among Doctors: Can We Make Useful Adaptations to the Color Codes Used in the Clinical Environment?

Qualitative investigation of trace-based communication: how are traces conceptualised in healthcare teamwork?

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