Cross-sectional Analysis of Non-technical Attributes and Surgical Experience in Surgical Staff, Trainees and Applicants.

• Conditions: Healthy Volunteers
• Interventions: Other: Rating scales concerning non-technical attributes

• Registration Number: NCT03728088
• Lead Sponsor: University Ghent

Brief Summary

This study consists of an analysis of the communication styles and attitudes towards risk and uncertainty (i.e. non-technical attributes) in a surgical population with varying clinical experience.

The study aims to investigate the differences and specific patterns in non-technical attributes that may be discerned in these groups and how these non technical attributes develop throughout surgical training.

Detailed Description

This study evaluated the communication styles and attitudes towards risk and uncertainty in a population of surgical candidates (pre- and postgraduates), surgical trainees and surgical staff members, from the specialties of general surgery, orthopedics, urology and plastic surgery. After signing informed consent, participants complete an on-line questionnaire, which contains a set of validated tools.

Initially, a cross-sectional analysis of the non-technical attributes will be conducted, to identify any patters, similarities or differences between participant groups.

The study hypothesis is that significant differences can be observed in participant attributes, which relate to their clinical experience.

Additionally, surgical candidates who agree to participate in this study and are accepted for a surgical training in either general surgery, orthopaedics, urology or plastic surgery, will be invited to repeat the questionnaire at a 2-year interval, to investigate the evolution of their non-technical attributes throughout their training and to identify general patterns.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-09-01
• Study First Submitted: 2018-10-23
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-10-31
• Study First Posted: 2018-11-01
• Status Verified: 2024-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-07-04
• Last Update Posted: 2024-07-08
• Primary Completion: 2024-10-01
• Study Completion: 2025-10-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• Participant is part of any of the following groups:

  • Applicant for surgical training in general surgery, orthopedics, urology or plastic surgery.
  • Trainee in general surgery, orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery.
  • Staff in general surgery, orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery.

• Participant is active at Ghent University Hospital or an affiliated training hospital.

No exclusion criteria apply to this study.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Surgical Candidates	Rating scales concerning non-technical attributes	Under- and postgraduate candidates applying for surgical training in general surgery, orthopedics, urology or plastic surgery at Ghent University Hospital. All candidates will complete the rating scales concerning non-technical attributes in the period prior to the surgical selections.
Surgical staff	Rating scales concerning non-technical attributes	Surgical staff members active in general surgery, orthopaedics, urology or plastic surgery, at Ghent University Hospital. All surgical staff members will be invited to participate in the study. Surgical staff members who agree to participate will complete the rating scales concerning non-technical attributes.
Surgical trainees	Rating scales concerning non-technical attributes	Surgical trainees active in general surgery, orthopaedics, urology or plastic surgery, at Ghent University Hospital or an affiliated non-academic training hospital. All trainees will be invited to participate in the study. Trainees who agree to participate will complete the rating scales concerning non-technical attributes.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Participant attitudes towards taking risks	Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. For the candidate group, this measure is repeated on a selection day during the surgical selection process, +- 1 - 2 months after study inclusion	Physicians' risk attitude (PRA) Scale (Range: 2-12)
Participant communication styles	Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent.	Communication Styles Inventory-96 scale:Subdomains: Expressiveness (range: 1-5); Preciseness (range: 1-5); Verbal aggressiveness (range: 1-5); Questioningness (range: 1-5); Emotionality (range: 1-5); Impression manipulativeness (range: 1-5)
Participant attitudes towards uncertainty	Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent. For the candidate group, this measure is repeated on a selection day during the surgical selection process, +- 1 - 2 months after study inclusion	Physicians' Reactions to Uncertainty (PRU) scale: Anxiety due to uncertainty (Range: 5-30; ); Concern about bad outcomes (3-18); Reluctance to disclose uncertainty to patients (Range: 5-30); Reluctance to disclose mistakes to physicians (Range 2-12)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Participant perceived actual health status	Rating scale is completed by all groups on study inclusion, after signing informed consent.	Short Form-36 scale (Range: 10-50)