Junior doctors' management of risk and uncertainty in A&E
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What factors influence junior doctors' management of risk and uncertainty in A&E? An exploratory study.
IRAS ID
276345
Contact name
Rebecca Lawton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
PSC-859, School of Psychology, University of Leeds Research Ethics Committee
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 18 days
Research summary
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that experience is important in understanding decision making in situations where there is risk and uncertainty. In an emergency care setting, a clinician’s experience has been found to play a role in patient management decisions. Having less clinical experience has been related to increased anxiety about uncertainty, ordering more tests and admitting a higher number of patients and may add to the increasing strain in A&E. This study aims to explore thought processes, feelings, and behaviours in response to uncertainty as well as team and environmental influences involved in patient management decisions made by junior doctors during an A&E shift and learn how junior doctors cope with the challenging decisions they have to make.
HOW: In-depth interviews with junior doctors will identify key factors that they perceive to impact patient management decisions and their management of uncertainty surrounding admission and discharge. It will also identify the types of coping strategies available and used to help them to manage the challenging decisions they have to make.
WHERE: Interviews will be conducted with 20 junior doctors working in the A&E department in 1 Trust.
RESULTS: Thematic analysis of interview data will be used to identify the factors junior doctors perceive to be involved in patient management decisions made during a shift in A&E and learn how junior doctors cope with uncertainty. Findings will assist the development of an intervention to support junior doctor decision making in A&E.REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A