Assessing senior house officers' perceptions of learning

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Education
• Medical Trainee Learning
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Effective learning environments are crucial for neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
• Understanding perceptions of learning among various staff roles is essential for optimizing training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the perceptions of trainers, senior house officers (SHOs), and nursing staff regarding learning experiences within a neonatal unit.

Main Methods:

• A regional NICU setting was utilized for the study.
• Three distinct questionnaires were administered to consultants, permanent staff, and SHOs to gather data on perceived educational activities and learning experiences.

Main Results:

• Permanent clinical staff identified consultant ward rounds, emergency management, protected teaching, practical procedures, and informal discussions as most valuable.
• Trainees (SHOs) prioritized consultant and handover ward rounds, rating formal protected teaching as less important.

Conclusions:

• A significant discrepancy exists between how staff and trainees perceive the value of different learning experiences in the neonatal unit.
• Recommendations include aligning educational strategies with trainee-perceived learning peaks and enhancing learning opportunities during less-valued activities.