Preparing safe doctors through innovative methodologies. Importance and cost-effectiveness of emphatic patient safety teaching to undergraduates.

Abstract

Objective: Patient safety is a major concern for all stakeholders in healthcare. Despite increased awareness, incidents related to medical errors remain frequent. It also has huge financial implications. It seems imperative to inculcate the necessary concepts and practices related to patient safety at the undergraduate level. This study investigates the impact of modified strategies for teaching and assessing Patient Safety on medical students.

Methodology: Innovative changes in teaching and assessment methodologies were introduced at King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, for the Patient Safety module, involving final-year students, while retaining adherence to the WHO guidelines. Students were encouraged to be actively engaged in the journey that patients undergo during their illnesses, analyzing safety-related issues from initial reporting to the ER/OPD and beyond, until discharge. Practical sessions and various Patient Safety Improvement Initiatives were included. Assessment was consolidated with additional modalities, emphasizing the practical aspects of safety culture. To verify the impact, pre- and post-module surveys and skill checks were conducted. Finally, students were subjected to twenty patient safety-related situations, and their responses were recorded.

Results: Statistically significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes was found in post-module survey.  Assessment with practical modalities yielded excellent results. More than 90% of students adopted a correct approach when subjected to safety-related situations, including avoidance and post-error handling.

Conclusion: Bringing innovative changes in teaching patient safety and assessment at the undergraduate level is an efficacious and cost-effective way to prepare safe doctors. We recommend a similar approach for Nursing and Paramedical schools.