Implementing and Maintaining an Increased Frequency of Nighttime Education Sessions

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatric Residency Training
• Quality Improvement Methodologies

Background:

• Resident education is crucial, but work hour regulations limit participation in traditional conferences.
• Night rotations often prevent residents from attending essential educational sessions.
• Institutions face challenges in developing and sustaining effective night curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase formal nighttime teaching led by upper-level residents from 0 to at least 3 sessions per week.
• To implement and sustain a pediatric night curriculum within the constraints of duty hour requirements.

Main Methods:

• A needs assessment guided the establishment of pediatric night education sessions.
• Upper-level residents led teaching and recorded session occurrences.
• A Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle and run-chart analysis were employed over 84 weeks.

Main Results:

• Nighttime teaching increased from a baseline of 0 to a median of 1 session per week after initial implementation.
• Following PDSA cycles, particularly incorporating upper-level resident feedback, median teaching occurrences rose to 3 times weekly.
• This increased frequency of teaching was sustained for 32 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Quality improvement methods effectively enhanced residency education by establishing a teaching expectation during night shifts.
• This approach provides a model for other residency programs to integrate learning opportunities within duty hour limitations.
• Sustained nighttime teaching improves educational experiences for residents on night rotations.