Clinical medicine (London, England)
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Doctors rate clinical relevance and applicability as the most important determinants of continuing professional development (CPD) course selection. This study examined patterns of current CPD practice and perceived CPD needs among hospital doctors in Ireland across various clinical specialties. A cross-sectional survey was administered to doctors, focusing on the areas of training needs analysis, CPD course content and preferred course format. ⋯ All respondents favoured interactive, hands-on sessions. CPD course completion and preference patterns differed significantly across clinical specialties. These results highlight the importance of considering the individual needs and preferences of clinicians across clinical specialties to facilitate more effective CPD programmes.
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The West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic was the largest and most devastating outbreak of EVD the world has ever seen. Its impact was felt far from the shores of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with public health systems and clinicians across the globe confronted with an international response both in the affected region and within their own borders. The UK had a prominent role in response efforts, particularly in Sierra Leone. This article highlights how UK academic, health service, military, commercial and public health professionals all played a significant role both at home and abroad.
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We present the results of an 18-month study of a new model of how to care for emergency neurological admissions. We have established a hyperacute neurology team at a single district general hospital. Key features are a senior acute neurology nurse coordinator, an exclusively consultant-delivered service, acute epilepsy nurses, an acute neurophysiology service supported by neuroradiology and acute physicians and based within the acute medical admissions unit. ⋯ Epilepsy accounted for 30% of all referrals. The cost implications of running this service are modest. We feel that this model is worthy of widespread consideration.
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A laboratory test has three phases, pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical. The purpose of this review is to highlight an issue concerning the analytical phase of one of the most widely deployed groups of in vitro diagnostic tests using a common technology - namely immunoassay. Immunoassay entails an inherently high error rate and, therefore, has the potential for inaccurate and misleading results susceptible to misinterpretation and/or diagnostic misapplication by clinicians. ⋯ Essentially, false positive results are most likely to occur when the disease prevalence/incidence is low. False negative results become more prominent when the prevalence/incidence of disease increases. When concern is raised, available follow-up laboratory tests should be initiated to establish with confidence the diagnostic reliability or unreliability of such results.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of feedback provided to specialty trainees (ST3 or higher) in medical specialties during their workplace-based assessments (WBAs). The feedback given in WBAs was examined in detail in a group of 50 ST3 or higher trainees randomly selected from those taking part in a pilot study of changes to the WBA system conducted by the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board. They were based in Health Education Northeast (Northern Deanery) and Health Education East of England (Eastern Deanery). ⋯ Feedback was mainly positive but there were differences in quality between specialties. Problems with feedback included insufficient detail, such that it was not possible to map the progression of the trainee, insufficient action plans made and the timing of feedback not being contemporaneous (feedback not being given at the time of assessment). Recommendations included feedback should be more specific; there need to be more options in the feedback forms for the supervisor to compare the trainee's performance to what is expected and action plans need to be made.