The educational value of ward rounds as a learning and teaching opportunity for house officers, medical officers, and registrars in Sudanese hospitals: a multi-center cross-sectional study
Authors: Eljack Mohammed Mahmmoud Fadelallah , Ahmed Fadi M. Toum , Hasabo Elfatih A. , Alfatih Mohammed , Ahmed Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed , Elnaiem Walaa , Mohamed Malaz Tarig AbdAlla , Ahmed Alaa , Hamood Fayha. M. Mdani , Hajhamd Amina Alfatih Idris , Ahmed Raga Muawia Mukhtar , Mansoor Alia Fadl Alla Bashir , Ahmed Esraa Mohammed , Eisa Yageen Makki Elsaid Ahmed , Taha Nagwa yassin Mohammed , Ahmed Mohga Elshafie , alnour Ammar alemam diab , tayfour Duha Osman abdalatheem , Mohammed Leenah MS , Ahmed Entisar Abdalla Zin elabdein , Tajeldeen Samaher , Abdelrasoul Maha Ali , Balla Iman Magdi Mohamed , Fadl Hiba Awadelkareem Osman , Ahmed Tawheed Abdelfatah Hamza , Yousif Abdalla , Abdulrazique Qaswarah A. , Sabri Mohammed , Dafalla Hanouf Nasreldeen , Alrahaman Mawada fath , Mohamed Farah Riyad Gafar , Ahmed Alaa Mohammed Osman Basher , Alrabee Noon hatim Khalid , Elbannan Elhassan Mohamed Ali Marwa , Ali Monia Mukhtar , Ibrahim Abdelrahim Abdelrazig Ahmed , A.Wahaballah Ahmed , Elbagir Mohammed , Alkhier Esrar Adel , Ahmed MA , Mustafa Alamin , Altigany Akram Khalid , Elaagib Amna , Almakey Yahya , Altayeb Israa Kamaleldin mohammed , Humida Gorashi , Mohamed Mohamed Hamid Abdelsalam , ali Ahmed Tajalsir Mohamed , Ahmed Omnia Mokhtar Mohammed 
Published: June 2023

Background

Ward rounds are a cornerstone in the educational experience of junior doctors and an essential part of teaching patient care. Here, we aimed to assess the doctors’ perception of ward rounds as an educational opportunity and to identify the obstacles faced in conducting a proper ward round in Sudanese hospitals.

Method

A cross-sectional study was conducted from the 15th to the 30th of January 2022 among house officers, medical officers, and registrars in about 50 teaching and referral hospitals in Sudan. House officers and medical officers were considered the learners, while specialist registrars were considered the teachers. Doctors’ perceptions were assessed using an online questionnaire, with a 5-level Likert scale to answer questions.

Results

A total of 2,011 doctors participated in this study (882 house officers, 697 medical officers, and 432 registrars). The participants were aged 26.9 ± 3.2 years, and females constituted about 60% of the sample. An average of 3.1 ± 6.8 ward rounds were conducted per week in our hospitals, with 11.1 ± 20.3 h spent on ward rounds per week.

Most doctors agreed that ward rounds are suitable for teaching patient management (91.3%) and diagnostic investigations (89.1%). Almost all the doctors agreed that being interested in teaching (95.1%) and communicating appropriately with the patients (94.7%) make a good teacher in ward rounds. Furthermore, nearly all the doctors agreed that being interested in learning (94.3%) and communicating appropriately with the teacher (94.5%) make a good student on ward rounds. About 92.8% of the doctors stated that the quality of ward rounds could be improved. The most frequently reported obstacles faced during ward rounds were the noise (70%) and lack of privacy (77%) in the ward environment.

Conclusion

Ward rounds have a special value in teaching patient diagnosis and management. Being interested in teaching/learning and having good communication skills were the two major criteria that make a good teacher/learner. Unfortunately, ward rounds are faced with obstacles related to the ward environment. It is mandatory to ensure the quality of both ward rounds' teaching and environment to optimize the educational value and subsequently improve patient care practice.