Exploring residents’ reactions to and use of parent feedback in a pediatric emergency department: A grounded theory study

Abstract

Background: Competency-based medical education (CBME) involves workplace-based assessment. In pediatrics, patients’ parents can participate in this assessment and generate feedback for residents. Prior to routinely collecting parent feedback, it is important to investigate residents’ perspectives on it.

Aim: To explore residents’ reactions to and use of written parent feedback.

Methods: Using a grounded theory approach, we interviewed residents who received written parent feedback at the mid- and end-points of a pediatric emergency training rotation.

Results: Twenty-five residents participated. The residents reacted positively to the feedback. They thought that it complements educators’ feedback, can elucidate parents’ perspectives and needs, and is something that residents want and need. Although the residents thought that non-specific negative parent feedback is not useful, they believed non-specific positive and constructive parent feedback to be encouraging and useful. They delineated how they use non-specific positive parent feedback to boost their self-confidence and reassure themselves that parents perceive their clinical practices as appropriate. They also elucidated how they use constructive parent feedback to understand what is important to parents, become aware of their own behaviors, and modify their clinical practices.

Conclusions: The findings encourage educators in pediatrics to include parents in resident assessment, especially in the CBME era.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Glossary

Competency-based medical education: Is an approach to preparing physicians for practice that is fundamentally oriented to graduate outcome abilities and organized around competencies derived from an analysis of societal and patient needs. It deemphasizes time-based training and promises greater accountability, flexibility, and learner-centredness (Frank et al. 2010).

Frank JR, Snell LS, Cate OT, Holmboe ES, Carraccio C, Swing SR, Harris P, Glasgow NJ, Campbell C, Dath D, et al. 2010. Competency-based medical education: theory to practice. Med Teach. 32:638–645.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to thank the Spencer Foundation for funding this study.

Notes on contributors

Katherine A. Moreau

Katherine A. Moreau, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa, an Affiliate Investigator at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, and a Senior Researcher at the University of Ottawa Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services.

Kaylee Eady

Kaylee Eady, PhD, is a Research Associate at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute.

Mona Jabbour

Mona Jabbour, MD, MEd, FRCPC, is the Vice-Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. She is also an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa.