Evaluating Emergency Medicine Faculty at End-of-Shift
Abstract
Introduction: Faculty often evaluate learners in the emergency department (ED) at the end of each shift. In contrast, learners usually evaluate faculty only at the end of a rotation. In December 2007 [X] School of Medicine changed its evaluation process, requiring ED trainees to complete end-of-shift evaluations of faculty.
Objective: Determine the feasibility and acceptance of end-of-shift evaluations for emergency medicine faculty.
Methods: We conducted this one-year observational study at two hospitals with 120,000 combined annual ED visits. Trainees (residents and students) anonymously completed seven-item shift evaluations and placed them in a locked box. Trainees and faculty completed a survey about the new process.
Results: During the study, trainees were assigned 699 shifts, and 633 end-of-shift evaluations were collected for a completion rate of 91%. The median number of ratings per faculty was 31, and the median number of comments was 11 for each faculty. The survey was completed by 16/22 (73%) faculty and 41/69 (59%) trainees. A majority of faculty (86%) and trainees (76%) felt comfortable being evaluated at end-of-shift. No trainees felt it was a time burden.
Conclusion: Evaluating faculty following an ED shift is feasible. End-of-shift faculty evaluations are accepted by trainees and faculty. [West J Emerg Med. 2010; 11(5):486-490.]