Caregiver knowledge, opinion, and willingness to consent to trainee involvement in pediatric surgical care

Surgical training is shifting toward competency-based models that promote earlier supervised autonomy. We assessed caregiver knowledge, willingness to consent, and opinions regarding trainee autonomy in their child's operation.

At two academic children's hospitals, 100 caregivers of children aged 0-17 years completed an electronic survey in the pediatric surgery clinic (1/2018-4/2018). Knowledge, willingness to consent, and opinions of trainee involvement in their child's operation in standard and competency-based training models were assessed. McNemar's test compared willingness to consent with standard and competency-based training (p < 0.05).

Caregivers were 75% female, 41% age 30-39 years old, and 78% white. All provider roles were correctly identified by 14% of caregivers. For routine procedures, caregivers would consent to a fellow assisting (95%) or independently operating with the attending present (78%). They would less likely consent if the attending was not in the operating room (39%) or the hospital (25%). Competency-based training improved willingness to consent, but was significant only for independence with the attending present. Most caregivers wanted to know about (81%) and be asked permission for (82%) trainee involvement in their child's operation.

This study suggests that surgeons in academic settings must balance transparency with trainee autonomy when obtaining caregiver consent.

Level III.