An Inpatient Patient Safety Curriculum for Pediatric Residents

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Patient safety is crucial in pediatric resident education.
• A needs assessment revealed a gap in residents' preparedness for safety principles and root cause analysis (RCA).
• Existing safety curricula for pediatric residents are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a novel patient safety curriculum on pediatric residents.
• To assess changes in residents' knowledge, attitudes, and reporting behaviors regarding patient safety.
• To explore residents' perceptions of the curriculum's value and areas for improvement.

Main Methods:

• A five-session, multidisciplinary curriculum was delivered monthly to senior pediatric residents.
• Topics included systems-based thinking, RCA, medication errors, and feedback on event reports.
• Resident knowledge, attitudes, and reporting behavior were assessed pre- and post-curriculum.

Main Results:

• Attendees demonstrated statistically significant improvements in safety attitudes and preparedness.
• No significant changes were observed in knowledge scores or event reporting rates.
• Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of learning about reporting processes and RCAs, with a desire for more debriefing time.

Conclusions:

• The curriculum effectively engaged residents and enhanced their perceived preparedness for patient safety.
• A discrepancy exists between residents' reporting intentions and behaviors, warranting further investigation.
• The curriculum is adaptable for implementation in other institutions.