Care Escalation: Teaching Residents How to Effectively Communicate Patient Care Concerns

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Communication

Background:

• Effective care escalation is crucial for preventing patient deterioration.
• Barriers often prevent residents from escalating concerns, leading to delays and adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement an escalation curriculum for senior pediatric residents.
• To assess the curriculum's impact on residents' recognition of barriers and skills in escalating care.

Main Methods:

• An annual 1- and 2-hour curriculum including case presentations, lectures, and discussions was implemented.
• Pre- and post-curriculum surveys evaluated resident self-reflection and curriculum effectiveness.

Main Results:

• 179 residents participated over 3 years; 87% completed surveys.
• 88% recognized escalation barriers, and 85% learned effective escalation skills.
• Resident comfort in seeking attending physician help significantly increased from 52% to 95% (p < .001).

Conclusions:

• A curriculum to enhance resident comfort and ability in escalating patient care concerns is feasible and effective.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the clinical impact of this educational intervention.