Implementing Faculty Evaluation of Written Sign-Out

Abstract

A simple curriculum paired with structured faculty evaluation and feedback can improve some parameters of sign-out. Structured evaluative sign-out tools may be useful to improve and teach sign-out skills.

Using Peers to Assess Handoffs: A Pilot Study

“…Much of the current handoff education literature has focused on observations of a verbal handoff or grading a written or electronic handoff." 14,22,23,25 While this approach can help ensure that certain elements are consistently handed off (e.g., which patients are sick and need closer attention), the peer evaluation adds a new and important perspective, that of the receiving PGY1, who can assess how well the handoff information helped them to provide optimal patient care. Notably, the overwhelming majority of PGY1s believed a co-PGY1 was best able to evaluate their handoff skills.…”

“…The goal of this study was to test an instrument used for evaluation, which, in the future, could be used to provide feedback to individual trainees. Feedback has been shown to be effective in many aspects of medical education 24 and has recently been used as a teaching strategy in handoff education 23,25 and has been shown to improve handoff skills. 14,22 By evaluating handoff practices in real time, the possibility for immediate and timely feedback arises, which has been shown to be more effective than delayed feedback.…”

Feedback and Assessment Tools for Handoffs: A Systematic Review

“…15,17,24,28,30,32,33,[36][37][38][39] Other study designs inc l u d e d va li d i t y e vi d e n ce o n l y (6 o f 2 6 , 23%) 19,21,26,29,31,35 ; randomized control trial (2 of 26, 7.7%) 16,25 ; posttest study (2 of 26, 7.7%) 20,40 ; observational study (2 of 26, 7.7%) 18,23 ; and matched group design with random assignment to control and trained groups (1 of 26, 3.8%). 22 The studies included the specialties of internal medicine (12 of 26, 46%) 15,16,18,19,[23][24][25][26][27]31,34,37 ; pediatrics (3 of 26, 12%) 33,38,39 ; pediatric cardiac critical care (1 of 26, 3.8%) 21 ; surgery (1 of 26, 3.8%) 29 ; emergency medicine (1 of 26, 3.8%) 36 ; and gastroenterology (1 of 26, 3.8%). 40 Several of the studies used participants from more than 1 specialty (7 of 26, 27%).…”

“…Of these articles, 3 were relevant to feedback only, 2 7 , 2 9 , 34 8 to assessment only, 15,18,19,21,23,31,33,35 and 15 to feedback and assessment (TABLES 1 and 2). 16,17,20,22,[24][25][26]28,30,32,[36][37][38][39][40] Copies of some tools are available from the authors on request.…”

“…[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]37,40 Only 2 studies occurred entirely outside of the United States, 35,36 and 2 more occurred in both Canada and the United States. 38,39 There were several different types of study designs among the articles.…”