Coaching during a trauma surgery team training: perceptions versus structured observations

Abstract

Background: Using the concept perception to quantify coaching skills during surgical training is questionable. This study compared the perceptions reported by the trainees and the faculty members following an emergency surgery team training with structured observations made on the basis of video registrations.

Methods: For each faculty member, we scored 45 minutes of identical scenarios to enable the quantitative assessment of the use of positive feedback, corrective feedback, as well as instruction and in particular comments containing how and why explanations. We compared the values determined from the video scores with the perceptions reported by the trainees and faculty on questionnaires.

Results: The trainee and faculty ratings for the coaching differed, with trainees generally giving a higher rating. While both the trainees and the faculty gave high ratings for the non-technical skills, corrective and complimenting feedback, and explanations why, the structured video observations showed lower scores in these categories.

Conclusions: Both the trainees and the faculty overrated the coaching. Trainee questionnaires and faculty self-reports neither reflected the actual coaching activities nor identified coaching skill deficits.

Keywords: Coaching; Faculty perception; Feedback; Non-technical skills; Team training; Trainee perception.