Sustainability of the "Name, Ask, Thank" Method to Improve Student Mattering in the Operating Room

Mattering is a psychosocial construct in which a person feels valued with domains including awareness, reliance, and importance. This study aimed to determine the sustainability of the "Name, Ask, Thank" (NAT) method for maintaining medical student mattering on the surgery clerkship in the operating room.

The NAT method was introduced at General Surgery Grand Rounds in 2021. Surveys were sent to residents, fellows, and faculty to assess the implementation of the method between 2021 and 2023. Chi-squared analysis was conducted to compare the years 2021-2022 to 2023 for the sustainability of the intervention. Medical students' end-of-rotation feedback regarding mattering was analyzed pre- and postintervention.

There were 49 survey responses from educators from 2021 to 2022 and 33 in 2023. 71.4% of educators from 2021 to 2022 versus 75.8% in 2023 affirmed they utilized the NAT method (p = 0.9). 55.1% from 2021 to 2022 versus 57.6% in 2023 were always or often utilizing NAT (p = 0.94). The most frequent barrier to implementation was forgetting about the NAT method (43% and 36%). There was no statistical difference in medical student end-of-rotation feedback pre- and postintervention.

The NAT method had sustained implementation by educators over 2 years when utilizing low-effort reminders. Further interventions to increase its use and improve mattering could include visual reminders in the operating room as the most frequent barriers cited by educators were forgetting about the method and distractions in the operating room.