Integrating patient safety education into early medical education utilizing cadaver, sponges, and an inter-professional team

Abstract

BackgroundIntroducing patient safety and quality improvement science to medical students is integral to improving healthcare. However, developing and implementing a patient safety curriculum can be challenging in a medical school curriculum that is already densely packed. Our aim was to develop and evaluate the impact of a workshop introducing patient safety and quality improvement science to a large class of first-year medical students.MethodAs a part of an evolving longitudinal patient safety curriculum, an introductory workshop on patient safety was integrated into an anatomy course. A high impact event (a simulated “retained sponge” discovery during an anatomy dissection lab) was used to introduce medical error. The educational session which followed consisted of a presentation by an interprofessional team utilizing the retained sponge as example of an error. Use of safety tools was introduced and quality improvement science was discussed using the evolution of methods to decrease retained foreign objects during surgery. A patient’s story told by a close family member about the personal impact of medical errors was presented. Students then participated in an interactive breakout activity and completed a module on safety. The impact of the workshop was assessed through pre- and post- session tests.ResultsQuantitative and qualitative evaluation reflected a positive effect of the session in improving students’ safety knowledge and attitudes. Students’ mean total knowledge improved from 7.58 to 8.98 (p = 0.000). Mean total attitudes score improved from 47.73 to 50.56 (p = 0.000). Students’ comments after the workshop reflected increased awareness and appreciation of the importance of addressing medical errors.ConclusionA workshop introducing patient safety and quality improvement to first year medical students improved knowledge and attitudes regarding safety and increased awareness of the importance of addressing medical errors in their future careers. Integrating patient safety education into an existing foundational science course is a model for teaching patient safety at other medical schools.

Patient safety: a new basic science for professional education

“…Several influential groups and authoritative bodies have launched efforts to identify sets of competencies important to promote safer health care practice [ 20 ], [ 21 ], [ 22 ], [ 23 ], [ 24 ], [ 25 ].…”

Security or Safety: Quantitative and Comparative Analysis of Usage in Research Works Published in 2004–2019

“…Analysis of the article content with the relevant categories "state", "health", and "education" shows that these publications are devoted to political (organizational and administrative), and police measures in the area of public security connected with health protection [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]; food security [26][27][28]; protection from threats and violence in educational sphere [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]; urban security [41][42][43][44][45][46][47]; and protection from crime and terrorism [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]. These life spheres and human behavior are evaluated for external risks and physical threats with preventive or reactive impacts on the environment and social relations being the factors and tools of protection from them.…”

Is Patient Safety Being Effectively Teached In Medical School?

“…Thus, the study points out that the clear transmission of medical skills seems to be important for the performance of students regarding patient safety, thus, it is observed that the use of videos is effective as an educational tool. Kutaimy et al 14 proposed, through a study with 308 first-year medicine students at Wayne State University, the application of a workshop on patient safety integrated into the anatomy course with a high-impact event that consisted of the discovery of a sponge retained during the dissection of a cadaver in anatomy class, used to introduce medical error, as well as an educational session with an interprofessional team and, finally, a patient's story told by a close family member about the personal impact was presented of medical errors. They used pre-and post-test and also collected from students after the test.…”