101 Things To Do with Spare Moments on the Ward

“I went home early, as teaching was cancelled, nothing was happening and I was bored” Here are 101 ∗ of the best ideas to make the most effective use of your time on the ward. Over 250 contributors, including students, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and therapists from 18 countries, help make you the finest doctor you can be! On the ward, you are surrounded by a multitude of learning opportunities. This book will help you develop your own skills to make the most of this ward time. Written by experienced medical educators, in collaboration with medical students, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, each tip will provide you with an appropriate overview of the topic and prompt you to think outside the conventional textbook learning methods. Grouped by theme, you will gain an insight into techniques for learning, followed by tips on clinical examination, practical procedures, prescribing, and data interpretation. Features include: Tasks to work on individually, with fellow students, or with patients Tasks you can complete in a few spare minutes or half a day The equipment you need for each task Further reading for each of the themes Pocket–sized for ′dipping into′ during a spare moment or a couple of hours on the ward, this short guide is ideal for medical students on rotation or junior doctors who wish to boost learning and motivation. Clinical teachers, who are looking for novel ways to engage their students, will also find this an invaluable resource. ∗There are actually 100 ideas. Now it’s your turn to develop tip 101! Submit your ideas to www.101things.org

Foreword vii Abbreviations and Medical hierarchy viii Introduction x Acknowledgements xiv Table of tasks xix Section 1 Teaching, Testing and Learning 1 Memory aids and mnemonics 2 Building quizzes 5 E–learning resources 8 Section 2 Clinical Communication 12 Narrative – the patient’s story 15 Preparation 20 History taking 22 Observing communication 26 Section 3 Physical Examination 31 Peer practice for physical examination 33 Examining patients – systems examinations 36 Examining patients – holistic assessments 40 Spot diagnosis 44 Exploring around the patient 45 Section 4 Practical Procedures 49 Know your equipment 50 Peer practice of practical skills 55 Hidden teachers, hidden opportunities for practical skills practice 63 Infection control 70 Section 5 Prescribing 75 Navigating around the drug chart 77 Preventable human errors in prescribing 83 Your peripheral brain – the BNF (British National Formulary) 86 Hidden teachers in pharmacology 90 Transition to junior doctor 93 Section 6 Being Curious 95 A doctor’s best friend: the nurse 99 Who are the players? 102 Communication 107 Section 7 Data Interpretation 110 Patient notes 111 Patient ECGs (Electrocardiogram) 115 Imaging 118 Section 8 Getting Teaching 123 Motivating people to teach you 123 Finding other teachers 126 Section 9 Effectiveness and Efficiency 129 Knowing your own motivation 130 Fun and fl ippant suggestions 133 Never too early to think about your future 136 Organisation and effi ciency 136 Section 10 Over to You 143 Task 101 143 Index 144

Dason E. Evans , MBBS(Lond), MHPE(Maastricht), fHEA Honorary Senior Lecturer in Medical Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London Speciality Doctor in Sexual Health, St George’s NHS Trust Nakul Gamanlal Patel , BSc(Hons), MBBS(Lond), MRCS(Eng) Plastic Surgery Specialty Registrar East of England Deanery Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust St Andrew’s Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Broomfield Hospital, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust Lister Hospital, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

“This is an easy–to–read, quick guide to spare–time activities that enhance learning for third–year medical students about to begin clinical rotations. It is not intended as a formative text for rotations.”  ( Doody’s , 17 August 2012)