Preparing junior doctors for emergency psychiatric experience: a peer-led teaching programme
| Published date | 06 November 2017 |
| Date | 06 November 2017 |
| Pages | 377-382 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2017-0015 |
| Author | Alex Till,Elizabeth Jane Shaw,Bethan Royles,Malik Banat,Krishna Singh,Peter Wilson,Indira Vinjamuri |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Preparing junior doctors for emergency
psychiatric experience: a peer-led
teaching programme
Alex Till, Elizabeth Jane Shaw, Bethan Royles, Malik Banat, Krishna Singh, Peter Wilson and
Indira Vinjamuri
Abstract
Purpose –Junior doctors rotating through psychiatry often practise in isolated environments with little prior
experience in this field. This can cause anxiety amongst doctors, and may potentially lead to patient safety
concerns. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach –A novel peer-led simulation style teaching session was developed to
improve junior doctor knowledge and confidence when working with psychiatry rotations out of hours.
Findings –Following successful completion of two iterations of the teaching, junior doctors reported
increased confidence, reduced anxiety and a more positive attitude following the session. Facilitators were
similarly positive in their feedback, being able to gain formal teaching experience and appraisal.
Originality/value –A novel, inexpensive and easily replicable teaching session is introduced, which can
improve junior doctors’practice and experience when working in psychiatry settings out of hours.
Keywords Training, Psychiatry, Junior doctor, Peer-led
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Psychiatry is an exc iting, intellectually stimulati ng and rewarding spe cialty. Many doct ors look
forward to meeting these challenges, but for those new to the specialty, psychiatry may be
daunting and intim idating (Stuart et al., 2015). Compared to other specialties, junior doctors
often practice mo re independently , particularly o ut of hours; face un ique scenarios in volving
challenging and high risk patients who present in crisis; and are frequently required to employ
and interpret leg al statute. Trai nees should be supp orted to confide ntly and safely ove rcome
these concerns. Resources and time to provide such training are often limited. Rather than
being proactively addressed, these concerns are usually eased passively with time and
experience. This is less than ideal and may occasionally p resent potentia lly significant pa tient
safety concerns.
Onesolutiontoaddresssuchconcernsistheuse of simulation training, which has been
shown to be an important route to safer care for patients (Donaldson, 2008). Based on
pre-defined and evolving scenarios, this method of teaching and assessment has been
steadily increasing within medicine over the past 20 years (Okuda et al., 2009). It is now an
accepted part of most medical school curriculums and postgraduate programmes where
doctors in training “must demonstrate that they can use simulation […] appropriately in
protecting patients from harm”(General Medical Council, 2017). Whilst initially focussed on
technical competence, simulations within less definable skills, such as communication and
leadership, are becoming increasingly established within medical education (University of
Aberdeen, 2012; Efstathiou and Walker, 2014).
Received 3 March 2017
Revised 23 June 2017
Accepted 14 September 2017
Theauthorswouldliketo
acknowledgethe Medical Education
Departmentof Mersey Care NHS
Trust and specifically the hard work
and administrative support
providedby Dawn McLoughlin,
Nicola Gurrell,Catrin Davies and
Jyoti Amin.
Alex Till, Elizabeth Jane Shaw,
Bethan Royles, Malik Banat,
Krishna Singh and Peter Wilson
are all Psychiatric Core
Trainees, at Health Education
North West (Mersey),
Liverpool, UK.
Indira Vinjamuri is a Consultant
Psychiatrist/Director of Medical
Education at the Mersey Care
NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2017-0015 VOL. 12 NO. 6 2017, pp. 377-382, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE377
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