Document Detail


Safeguard or mollycoddle? An exploratory study describing potentially harmful incidents during medical student placements in Aboriginal communities in Central Australia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21644890     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To assess the number and characteristics of potentially harmful incidents occurring during placement of medical students in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A retrospective audit of medical students' files from Northern Territory General Practice Education placements in Central Australia for the period from January 2006 to December 2007.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and type of potentially harmful incidents.
RESULTS: A total of 163 placements were undertaken. Of these, 98 (60%) had adequate documentation to determine whether an incident had occurred. There were 28 cases (17%) where potentially harmful incidents were judged to have occurred. Most incidents fell under several descriptive categories, but clinical supervision, professional practice and administrative issues were most common.
CONCLUSIONS: One in six students experienced a potentially harmful incident during remote area placement in 2006-2007. While acknowledging the exploratory nature of this investigation and the major educational benefits that clearly arise from these placements, our findings indicate problems with clinical supervision and administration.
Authors:
Ameeta Patel; Peter Underwood; Hung The Nguyen; Margaret Vigants
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Medical journal of Australia     Volume:  194     ISSN:  1326-5377     ISO Abbreviation:  Med. J. Aust.     Publication Date:  2011 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-06-07     Completed Date:  2011-08-10     Revised Date:  2011-11-23    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0400714     Medline TA:  Med J Aust     Country:  Australia    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  497-500     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Bath Street Family Medical Practice, Alice Springs, NT. ameeta.patelATinternode.on.net
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Education, Distance
Education, Medical, Undergraduate*
Female
General Practice / education
Humans
Interpersonal Relations*
Male
Northern Territory
Oceanic Ancestry Group*
Quality of Health Care*
Rural Health Services / standards*
Rural Population*
Schools, Medical*
Students, Medical / psychology*
Young Adult
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Med J Aust. 2011 Oct 17;195(8):449-50   [PMID:  22004390 ]
Med J Aust. 2011 Jul 18;195(2):102-3; author reply 103-4   [PMID:  21770889 ]
Med J Aust. 2011 May 16;194(10):495-6   [PMID:  21644889 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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