Effect of Patient Safety Education in Surgical Clerkship to Develop Competencies for Managing and Preventing Medical Errors

Abstract

PURPOSE The aims of this study were to define the necessity and effectiveness of patient safety education during surgical clerkship to develop competency for managing and preventing medical errors. METHODS Fifty 3rd-year students participated in the patient safety education program during a 4-week surgical clerkship. The students were divided into 4 groups: control group, pretest-only group, education-only group, and pretest and education group. Students were assessed using short essays and an oral exam for reasoning skills, clinical performance exams for patient education and communication skills, and multisource feedback and direct observation of error reporting for real-world problem-solving skills. The results were analyzed with SPSS 14.0K. The reliability (Cronbach alpha) of the entire assessment was 0.893. RESULTS There was no difference in scores between early and late clerkship groups. Reasoning skills were improved by the pretest. Reasoning, patient education, and error reporting skills were much more developed by patient safety education. Real-world error identification, reporting, and communication did not change after the 4-week course. CONCLUSIONS Patient safety education during surgical clerkship is necessary and effective. Error prevention and competency management in the real world should developed.