OQB UCAT Situational Judgements 1

from Mock A, B and OQB1

Serena is a dental student who is shadowing a senior dentist, Mr Wardett. Mr Wardett is replacing a filling for a patient using a brand-new tool. The tool is different to the one Serena conducted her training on at university. A few days later, another patient requires a filling replacement and Mr Wardett asks Serena to conduct the procedure while he supervises. She is not confident in her ability to use the new tool.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Serena when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that Mr Wardett may not be aware of what tool she trained on at university

• that she has never conducted the procedure using the new tool before

• that the new tool may be more effective

• that Mr Wardett may not give her other learning opportunities if he finds out she is not familiar with using the latest tools

• that she is a student so will not be expected to know everything

B — idk. literally all it said was: “Correct response: B. This is important because both Mr Wardett and Serena are responsible for ensuring patient safety. It is Serena’s responsibility to discuss her expertise and limitations with her clinical supervisors just as it is a clinical supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that the student is competent before asking them to carry out any task. They can then agree on a joint action plan to develop competency with the tool, for example, Serena watching a few more procedures using the new tool, conducting a joint treatment with the tool and then Serena carrying out the treatment under Mr Wardett’s supervision.”

A — ensuring patient safety

A — everyone needs to make sure this is what is best for the patient

C — impacts her ability to learn the tool, but she could do this by watching

A — he would be aware of this, how new tools may not be part of training at the uni.

Sapphire has been asked to do a group presentation on sleep disorders as part of her course. In a meeting earlier in the week, she and her partner, Dominik, agreed that they would evenly distribute the work and would each present the sections that they wrote. The presentation is in an hour and Sapphire and Dominik are practising when Dominik begins to panic and tells Sapphire that he does not think he can present his sections as he is too nervous. He asks Sapphire to present his sections for him.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Sapphire when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• her own confidence in presenting Dominik’s slides

• dominik’s wellbeing

• whether dominic would do the same for her in this situation

• that they had agreed to each present their own sections of the presentation

• whether dominik is required to present in order to be graded

A — “students do not operate outside the scope of their practice and competence”, esp as he’s just nervous (not medical)

B — idk??? these justifications are trippy af. “medical students only work within their mental and physical capacities” - so why is it not A??

D — acting in the best interests of others over personal gain is part of good practice.

C — it’s important that all team members understand their role. but, circumstances change and the ability to adapt is essential.

A — very important that students develop knowledge.

Vinnie is with a group of other medical students revising anatomy in the dissecting room. There are dead bodies in the room. Some other students come in. Vinnie and his group notice that one of these students, his friend, Kim, is not a medical student. Vinnie notices that Kim is taking photos of the bodies. Kim explains that she borrowed a medical student’s ID badge so that she could get into the dissecting room. Vinnie knows that only medical students are allowed in this room and that no one is allowed to take photos. He needs to decide whether to report Kim’s behaviour.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Vinnie when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• whether Kim knows that she is not permitted in the room or take photos

• that Kim will be in a lot of trouble if he reports her

• that lots of other students noticed as well so someone else may report it

D — using someone’s badge is alr a breach, and she’s doing something immora

D — vinnie must report her regardless of the trouble. this is a security breach and lack of respect. also against the law lol.

D — regardless of everone else, everyone has a responsibility to raise and act on concerns, report incidents and prevent inappropriate behaviours

A seven-year-old patient, Jessica, has arrived at the hospital with her mother, Germaine. After conducting an examination, Pauline, a medical student, determines that Jessica is having an asthma attack and needs an inhaler with medication to treat her asthma. After explaining this, Germaine tells Pauline that she does not “believe in medicating” her child. She tells Pauline that she prefers to use herbal remedies. It is important for Jessica to use the inhaler to prevent her asthma from getting worse.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Pauline when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that germaine does not believe a medical inhaler is necessary

• that germaine is not likely to encourage jessica to use the medical inhaler

• that, as a medical student, she knows that it is important for jessica to use the meidcal inhaler to prevent her asthma getting worse

• that germaine has a right to decide how to manage jessica’s treatment and care

• that jessica is in need of medical treatment

B — jessica is a child, so germaine’s wishes must be taken into consideration.. HOWEVER, the situation may change if she knows jessica’s condition is life-ending

B — again, germaine may change her mind, so not A.

A — it is strongly recommended to use the inhaler

A — germaine has the right to decide how to manage her treatment and care

A — her need is urgent and she could die.

A busy clinician witnesses a receptionist in a patient waiting area trying to deal with an angry patient. The patient is shouting at the receptionist because he has been waiting for over an hour. The receptionist looks shocked by the patient's behaviour and asks him to sit down. The patient slams his hand on the reception desk and continues shouting.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for the clinician when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• the impact of the patient’s behaviour on others in the waiting area

• the receptionist’s safety and welfare

• the perception others will have of the hospital

• the clinician’s current workload

• the possibility that the patient will make a complaint

A — uncomfortable patients

A — clinician have responsibility of all care

D — has no effect.

D — angry patient takes precedence over all routine work. needs to be dealt with IMMEDIATELY

D — does not impact current situation

Kieran, a medical student, is supporting on the GP surgery reception desk when he is approached by a member of the Local Authority, Amalia, who is investigating the absence of a child from school. Amalia asks Kieran if the child has recently attended the GP surgery. Amalia insists on the information being shared as she explains that the investigation involves a complex family situation. Kieran is aware that under the surgery’s confidentiality policy, unless there is a court order or the parent or guardian of the child consents, he cannot reveal confidential information.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Kieran in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

• “i cannot share that information without consent from a parent or guardian of the child”

• “i understand that this is a sensitive situation, but i am unable to share information at this point”

• “i could ask someone more senior about how to get that information”

• “i could lose my job if i give you that information”

A — consistent with GDPR, says why the request can’t be granted, what actions are required to solve the issue

B — consistent with GDPR HOWEVER does not say why, or provide actions to resolve the issue

D — not consisent with GDPR and doesn’t provide actions to resolve the issue

C — “does not prioritise safeguarding the patient’s rights over the personal interest of the medical student”

Finnley, a medical student, is on placement on the oncology ward. He is asked by a nurse to find Dr Orlaith, a junior doctor, as one of the nurse's patients is in a lot of pain and very distressed. The nurse tells Finnley that she has attempted to contact Dr Orlaith several times but has not received a response. Finnley finds Dr Orlaith in the staff room on her lunch break. When Finnley asks Dr Orlaith if she can respond to her pager, she tells Finnley that she is hungry and tired, and that she will see to the patient when she has finished her lunch.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Finnley in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

• “please can you advise if there is anything we can be doing to help the patient?”

• “it is not fair to be ignoring the nurses”

• “i am sure the nurses are tired as well but they are still working”

• “please could you contact the nurse to let her know what she should do about the patient whilst she waits for you”

B — Dr Orlaith has primary responsibility over the patient, with a duty of standard care. doctor is neglecting her duty

C — based on assumption that he is ignoring them, so not appropriate. but does raise awareness about collaborative culture ! ! !

D — unprofessional/disrespectful and does not take Orlaith’s wellbeing into account

A — apparently “This is a very appropriate thing to say as it is important to raise concern appropriately, to act promptly if patient safety or dignity is being compromised, and to work with colleagues in ways that best serve the interest of patients. This approach is a clear and direct way to address the situation”

Ria and Nathan are students who attend the same placements. Nathan has chronic back pain that sometimes makes it difficult for him to work. The school has agreed that Nathan can advise the school if his pain is too bad and they will then help him to rearrange his placement. Last week, Nathan did not attend a scheduled placement, and he did not call the school to let them know until afterwards. The school told him that he would fail his placement as a result. Nathan feels that this is unfair and complains to Ria.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Ria in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

“you can’t be too upset because you did not follow the rules”

“it must be hard to manage your schedule when you are in pain”

“i think it’s completely unfair that they would fail you for missing one day”

“maybe you should speak to your school again about how to manage your placements with your backpain”

C — highlights that it is nathan’s responsibility, but is not kind and is judgemental

A — demonstrates understanding, compassion and empathy needed for medicine

D — suggests acting professionally is unimportant

A — encourages him to seek support available through uni, and be proactive about his health

Bruntha and Leanne, two medical students, are waiting with the rest of their class to enter the anatomy room for their first dissection lesson. Medical students must attend all dissection lessons in order to progress in their studies. Bruntha mentioned to Leanne earlier in the day how nervous she was feeling about seeing human flesh. Bruntha is now panicking and tells Leanne that she feels very unwell and faint and does not want to enter the room.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Leanne in this situation?

• try to calm bruntha down

• try to persuade bruntha to enter the anatomy room so she herself can tell the anatomy lecturer she is feeling unwell

A — making her relaxed = rational

A — let her feel in control, and overcome initial anxieties

Arnold, a medical student, is completing a placement in a local hospital and is observing a consultant, Dr Macham, complete a ward round. Dr Macham is talking to a patient whilst writing him a prescription for an antibiotic, which a nurse will then administer. Dr Macham then receives an urgent request and leaves the ward. Arnold reviews the notes and realises that the patient is allergic to the antibiotic prescribed by Dr Macham.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Arnold in this situation?

inform another doctor on the ward about his concerns regarding the prescription

ask the patient to confirm if he is allergic to any medicines

A — just is : )

A — ensuring that patient records are up to date is good

A dentist is undertaking a routine check up on a 10 year old boy. During the check up the boy starts crying violently and screams that he wants to go home.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by the dentist in this situation?

• carry out the checkup as normal

• suggest his mother book another appointment at a later date

D — not in patient’s best interest, and is poor practice, and is traumatising

B — should be a preceding definite attempt to calm the boy. WHAT I THOUGHT THAT NONE OF THE ANSWERS ARE IN ISOLATION?? THIS ONE SAYS “Although booking an appointment at a later date is likely to be very appropriate due to the boy being upset and the likely subsequent effects on treatment outcome, there should also be a preceding definite attempt to calm the boy. For this reason, suggesting that the appointment be rescheduled is, in isolation, only an appropriate thing to do.”

A student, Aaron, is speaking to a friend on his course, Lei. Aaron tells Lei that he has been given negative feedback from a clinician about his interpersonal skills, particularly his interactions with patients. He thinks that the feedback is unfair and he is clearly upset.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Lei in this situation?

• advise aaron to ask other students whether they have received negative feedback from this clinician

• advise aaron that many students receive unfair feedvack and that the feedback will balance out over time

C — seems reasonable, but aaron must remember feedback is a normal part of life, and other people are irrelevant

C — again, feedback is life, so he has to accept it.

Levi is a medical student and is observing a doctor who is seeing patients at a clinic in the hospital. The patients have pre-booked appointments, but the clinic is running 30 minutes behind schedule due to staff shortages. Levi leaves the private consulting room to collect some paperwork that the doctor needs for the current consultation. Whilst passing through the patient waiting area, a patient approaches Levi and complains in a raised voice about the waiting time. She demands to be seen next.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Levi in this situation?

• tell the patient to calm down and agree that the doctor will see her next

• try and find out if there is anything that can be done about the waiting time

D — telling ANYONE to “cAlM dOwN” is likely to escalate. especialy when you barely know their situation! also cannot promise they can be seen next.

B — practical, but it is unlikely that this can be done. also, levi has a task (paperwork) which, if he doesn’t do, will slow down the wait time even MORE!!!!

Simon, a junior dentist, is conducting a dental procedure on a patient using local anaesthesia. During the procedure, his hand slips and he accidentally stabs the patient's bottom lip with the dental instrument. Simon cannot see any cuts or signs of bleeding around the patient's mouth area. As the patient's mouth is numb, Simon's accident seems to have gone unnoticed. Simon is aware that policy guidelines state that patients and supervisors must be informed of all accidents.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Simon in this situation?

• say nothing and await to see if the patient makes a comment

• ask the patient if she experiencing any discomfort

• inform the patient about the mistake and explain there seems to be no visible harm caused

D — goes against policy guidelines

A — to see signs of more serious damage, or ineffective anaesthesia

A — yeah, that’s obvi lwk

Cillian is a dental student on placement at a dental surgery. Dr Rae is in the consulting room to perform a minor procedure on a 12 year old patient. The patient’s mother, Haniya, has attended to provide support and is in the consulting room waiting to observe the minor procedure. During the consent process, Dr Rae asks Haniya if it is OK for Cillian to assist him with the procedure. However, Haniya expresses concern over Cillian’s competency and lack of experience. Cillian has never had the opportunity to assist with this particular procedure and does not want to miss out on such a valuable learning experience, but he does not want to upset Haniya.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Cillian in this situation?

• ask haniya if there’s anything he can do to reassure her

• ask dr rae to reassure the patient and parent regarding her concerns

• ask haniya if she would prefer someone else to assist with the procedure

• ask the patient if they are comfortable with him assisting in the procedure

• explain to haniya this is a valuable learning opportunity for him

B — does not put patient’s best interests first. may be seen as undermining parent/forcing them to consent

B — same thing.

A — patients should have their preferences and concerns taken into account. discussing treatment options should always be there.

D — overstepping professional boundaries against the expressed wishes of haniya as a patient

B — same as first really; putting cillian’s interests above the interests of the patient, forced consent

A medical student, Gemma, is observing a patient consultation conducted by Dr Mitchell. Dr Mitchell is updating the patient's medical records on the computer. He asks the patient whether he is allergic to penicillin, to which the patient replies “Yes”. However, Gemma notices that Dr Mitchell types “No” as the response to this question on the computer record.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Simon in this situation?

• ask the patient to repeat the answer to the question

• inform the patient privately about the error after the consultation has finished

• inform the doctor privately about the error after the consultation has finished

B — clarifies response, but may affect patient/doctor relationship

D — without Dr Mitchell’s clarfication, this may not be true, anddd could affect the doctor/patient relationship

A — yes

A dental student, Rio, is leading a group of fellow students in a project they have been assigned to work on together. Jerome approaches Rio with a complaint about one of the other students in the group, Elizabeth. Jerome insists that Elizabeth is not dedicating enough time and effort to the group project. Jerome explains that Elizabeth leaves meetings early and her notes are not very comprehensive when she is asked to research topics. He asks if Rio can do something about this as he is the leader of the group.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Rio in this situation?

• report elizabeth’s lack of dedication to the academic tutor

• ask other members of the grouo whether they have similar concerns to elizabeth’s behaviour

C — scaling up is usually a “C”. no severe consequences, but Rio should manage this

A — consensus opinion about elizabeth’s behaviour; part of working as a team is sharing concerns

Daniella, a medical student, is currently on placement in the emergency department. She is about to escort her next patient, who presents with a sprained ankle, into the consulting room. She then notices a young boy, about three years old, crying out for his mother. It is clear that he is lost and scared. His mother is not in sight.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Daniella in this situation?

• inform the patient with the ankle that she will return to him as soon as possible after he has assisted the lost boy

• comfort the boy and assure him his mother will be found

• ask the receptionist to deal with the lost boy as daniella helps the ankle patient

• ask the patients in the waiting room if they have seen the boy’s mother

• distract the boy with toys and escort him to the play area, then return to the patient with the sprained ankle

A — sprained ankle is not immediate danger

A — boy is distressed. (hey, i thought lying was bad, but whatever ig!)

C — lets daniella continue with her work, but this isn’t the receptionist’s resposbility, and now they won’t pay full attention to her duties.

B — (wtf ok fine) would be more appropriate to first comfort the boy, apparently.

D — doesn’t resolve the situation!! mother and son will be even more lost.

Taylah is a dental student on placement in a dental practice. She offers to watch the reception area for 5 minutes while the receptionist, Dan, reparks his car. Dan has been working at the practice for 6 weeks. Taylah uses the computer on the reception desk to check her shifts for next week and sees an open webpage displaying receptionist job roles in other practices. The computer is only usually used by Dan. It is against practice policies to use work computers for personal reasons.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Taylah in this situation?

inform the practice manager of what she has found on the computer

ask Dan if he is looking for other jobs without referencing what she has found

B — the PM should apparently be aware if Dan is looking at other roles/misusing the computer. buttt would be more appropriate for Taylah to speak with Dan first herself.

C — would not make situation worse, but is better to be straightforward so he can do the right thing next time

A group of medical students are working on an assignment that is due the next day. With little time to spare, Marie, the group leader, wants the group to focus on the task. However, two students, Danielle and Joshua, have started to have a heated discussion because they have differing opinions regarding the approach that should be taken for a small part of the assignment. The discussion is distracting the group from the overall task, and the remaining group members look uncomfortable.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Marie should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

1- ask daniella and joshua to leave their discussion for later and focus on discussing more important things

2- interrupt the discussion and ask the group to vote on the matter they are discussing

3- facilitate a discussion between the group regarding the issue that daniella and joshua are discussing to agree on an approach

most: facilitate etc (#3) WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE #2. demonstrates good leadership skills… conflict resolution… pratical SO WHY NOT #2

least: ask etc (#1) dismisses their opinions and arguments

A student, Fiona, is due to perform a procedure on a patient as part of an assessment. The procedure will be observed by her consultant and fellow students. Before the assessment, Fiona receives a text message from her mother. Fiona's grandmother is seriously ill and her mother wants Fiona to contact her urgently. Fiona is very upset and desperately wants to comfort her mother.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Fiona when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• fiona’s emotional state

• the impact of fiona’s behaviour on her assessment grade

• the care and safety of the patient

• the welfare of fiona’s grandmother

• ensuring there is cover for fiona

A — her emotional state may comprimise patient safety

D — patient first. not fiona’s grade.

A — patient safety

B — her grandma’s state will likely affect fiona’s patient care, but might not/patient safety comes first/idk??? “The welfare of Fiona’s grandmother is an important consideration, as it may impact on her ability to focus on the task in hand.”

B — It is important to make sure that the team is not understaffed by Fiona’s absence, but the patient’s best interests must come first. Fiona should finish the task in hand, if she is able, before contacting her mother.

A junior doctor is working on the accident and emergency ward. A young woman arrives on the ward complaining of stomach pain. After assessing her, the junior doctor can find nothing wrong with the patient. The junior doctor has several other patients waiting to be seen but the young woman is still complaining of pain. He is trying to decide what to do.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for the junior doctor when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• the junior doctor wanting to appear competent as a doctor

• the patient’s insistence that she is experiencing pain

• a more senior doctor’s opinion regarding the patient

D — how the junior doctor appears to the patient is irrelevant

A — patient safety and quality of care

A — senior doctor > correct diagnosis and treatment > patient care

A junior doctor, Jasper, has just been asked to accompany an urgent patient to the theatre ward by a senior consultant. The patient cannot go to theatre unaccompanied. However, his supervisor told him earlier that day that he should not leave the medical ward he is working on due to the high volume of patients and the ward being under-staffed. He is aware that all members of staff on this ward are busier than usual and will struggle to monitor his patients whilst he leaves the medical ward. Jasper knows it will take at least 20 minutes to go with the urgent patient and get back again. However there is no one else that can accompany the urgent patient. Jasper needs to decide whether to stay on the medical ward or accompany the patient to theatre.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Jasper when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• his supervisor’s instructions

• that the rest of his team might struggle to look after his patients

• that there is no one else that can accompany the urgent patient

• that he has other patients to look after on the medical ward

A — given any circumstance, his supervisor’s instructions are very important

B — important to consider that the rest of the team will be put under extra pressure if Jasper accompanies the patient to theatre. However, the request is urgent and the consequences to the patient are more serious than those to the remaining, stable patients, who will be overseen by the rest of the team.

A — extremely important as declining the request by the senior consultant would mean that the urgent patient was left untreated. The consequences for this could be very serious.

A — extremely important for Jasper to consider the patients that he is already looking after on the ward. They are his primary responsibility and so if he leaves he must ensure that adequate cover is in place.

Manuel and Susan are attending a lecture. The lecturer challenges Manuel for using a mobile telephone during the lecture. Susan also witnessed this but observed that Manuel spoke quietly and discretely and was barely noticeable. The lecturer cites the university's policy prohibiting mobile telephone use in lectures and asks Manuel to leave immediately. Susan thinks this is unfair because the lecturer has never previously reprimanded other students who have used their mobile telephones during lectures.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Susan when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• manuel’s phone conversation was barely noticeable

• the university prohibits mobile phone use during lectures

• the lecturer treated manuel unfairly compared to other students

C WHAT THE FLIP. “If the University policy is clear regarding the use of mobile phones, then how noticeable Manuel’s conversation was is of little relevance.” YE WUT LUV?? WHYSN’T IT D

A — Consideration of the University policy is very important. Violation of the policy may result in sanctions being imposed on Manuel’s study.

B — important that lecturer enforces the policy in a fair manner, this is not the most important consideration, Susan must be most mindful of the University rules governing the use of mobile phones.

Dr Brown and Dr Patel have been friends since medical school and have been working on the same ward together for the past year. Recently, Dr Brown has noticed that Dr Patel has been struggling to cope with his role. He has been arriving at work late and has not been completing all of his tasks. As a result, Dr Brown has been undertaking additional work to ensure that the situation is not brought to the attention of the rest of the team.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Dr Brown when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• the reason’s for Dr Patel’s change in behaviour and inability to cope with his role

• the situation may deteriorate if Dr Brown does not address the change in Dr Patel’s behaviour

• that Dr Patel may not be expecting Dr Brown to say anything to their senior colleagues as they have been friends since medical school

• whether undertaking Dr Patel’s work is having a negative effect on Dr Brown’s own work

B — There may indeed be legitimate reasons for Dr Patel’s change in behaviour and inability to cope. However, this isn’t the most important consideration here when deciding how to respond

A — deteriorate > impact patient care

D — personal relationships don’t matter, patient safety is more important here

B — Dr Brown’s work may indeed be affected by taking on some of Dr Patel’s workload. However, this isn’t the most important consideration here when deciding how to respond.

Natasha is a dental student. She is due at a dental clinic session where she will be conducting consultations with patients, under supervision. Her attendance at the dental clinic session is very important to her performance on her course. She notices that she has lost her student photo identification badge that includes her photograph, name, course and year of study. She is aware that this must be worn during such sessions because it identifies to others that students are in fact studying and not yet qualified.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Natasha when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• whether or not her fellow students are aware of the situation

• that her badge could be used by anyone to gain access to the hospital, if this issue is left unreported

C — might ask the other students to inform her clinical supervisor of the situation on her behalf (ig if she can’t come in?). Further, during patient contact, her student colleagues may also be more mindful to highlight to patients the fact that Natasha is also a student. This consideration is therefore of minor importance.

A — patient confidentiality and safety

Bruno, a dental student, is due to attend an early morning teaching session when he receives a telephone call at 8:50am from his friend and colleague, Maisie. Maisie tells Bruno that she will not be attending the teaching session today. She asks Bruno to sign the attendance register for her, so that the tutor will think that she did attend the teaching session. Maisie is normally hard-working and this is the first time that she has made such a request. Bruno is aware that, although it is not permitted, other students sign in for each other sometimes and have not been caught.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Bruno when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• the fact that Maisie is generally hard working and this is the first time she has made such a request

• that Maisie might be annoyed if he refuses the request

• that Bruno has seen other dental studnets sign in for each other and not get caught

D — behaviour is inconsistent with the professional standards expected of dental professionals. potential health and safety risk because during an emergency or serious incident such as a fire, this action may pose a risk to others, e.g., fire personnel who may be required to search for Maisie in the event of a fire, unaware that she is not in attendance and that she is a person who is absent but falsely represented as being present at the session by Bruno

D — doesn’t matter

D — Each dental professional is personally accountable for their actions. Each dental professional also has a duty to raise concerns about unprofessional behaviour and unsafe practice. The expectation of dental professionals is that they act honestly and with integrity

Sean is a medical student working on a shift within a busy ward. Sean has just been asked by the senior nurse to take a blood sample from a patient, Claire, who appears to be in pain. Therefore, it is necessary to take the blood sample as soon as possible. Claire is aware of this. Sean is comfortable taking blood and has done this many times. However, when Sean introduces himself to Claire, Claire tells Sean that she is concerned that Sean is not capable of completing the procedure because he is not a qualified doctor yet. No one else is currently available to take Claire’s blood sample.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Sean in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

“i have completed this procedure many times, there is nothing to worry about”

“would you prefer it if i found someone else to take your blood sample”

“can you please explain what you are concerned about?”

“I am the only person who is available to take your blood sample right now. There will be a delay if you would prefer someone else”

B — dismissive, but tries to alleviate her fears

C — nobody is free and she is urgent. doesn’t address that she thinks he is incapable. BUT is not dismissive and takes her into account

A — compassionate, and can solve issue

B — dismissive

A dental student, Marley, is on placement shadowing a dentist, Dr Povey. Dr Povey is currently trying to fit a crown on a patient’s tooth; however, the crown appears not to be fitting as expected. Dr Povey tells Marley that she has recently been working with a newly qualified technician who is not very good, and that there has been an issue with everything that she has done for her, including the last three crowns that she has tried to fit. Dr Povey says that the previous technician she worked with was a lot better, and she never had any problems fitting the crowns provided by that technician.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Marley in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

“i agree, the new technician must be doing something wrong if you’ve never had this problem before”

“will you report the technician?”

“is there anything we can do to make the crowns fit?”

“maybe it would be useful to ask the other dentists in the practice, who also use the technician, if they have had any similar issues?”

D — assumption that technician is wrong. may not be the case. also, in front of patient, so will ruin patient-dentist relationship

D — see above, really

A — practical help

B — encouraging Dr Povey not to jump to the conclusion that it is the new technician’s fault, by asking for other people’s opinions at a later date, and not in front of the patient. However, doesn’t solve current problem

Nigel is assisting another trainee, Alexa, with a patient examination. It is clear to Nigel that the patient requires routine treatment for a common condition. After reassuring the patient, Alexa looks very confused and unsure about what to do next. Alexa quietly mentions to Nigel that she doesn't know what is wrong with the patient, or what she should do next.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Nigel in this situation?

• advise alexa to seek help from her supervisor about how to treat the patient

• advise alexa of his professional opinion and offer to guide her through the necessary treatment

• ask a senior colleague to take over the treatment of the patient

B — Although asking Alexa to seek advice from her supervisor is appropriate because he or she is responsible for keeping a track of and recording Alexa’s performance, it would seem more sensible for Nigel to provide some immediate guidance.

A

C — does not address the problem of alexa’s lack of knowledge (scaling up)

A team of students have been given some group work to do that will contribute to every group member's final grade. The aim of the group work is to find realistic ways of reducing the risk of heart disease worldwide and write a report on it. The group is undertaking a group discussion and have generated some good ideas to answer the question effectively. One group member, Adam, has been very quiet and reserved throughout discussions and did not offer any ideas on the topic. Another member of the group, Thea, feels that Adam's lack of contribution is unfair.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Thea in this situation?

• inform the academic tutor that Adam did not contribute to the work

• take Adam to one side on a break and ask if he has any ideas he would like to contribute

• after the discussion, tell Adam not to worry that he did not contribute, as there will be other projects to work on

D (apparently) — As a group, the students are not only responsible for the final output, but also for working as a team effectively. Any issues should be resolved locally if at all possible, and going straight to the academic tutor is inappropriate.

A

C —It is important for Adam to understand the consequences of his actions, and so this choice is not ideal.

Jasmine is a student attending a lecture when she witnesses Eve, a fellow student, falling asleep and snoring loudly. After being awakened by the lecturer, Eve becomes upset and makes a rude gesture towards him. A brief argument ensues and Jasmine hears the lecturer mutter what sounds like a derogatory personal insult towards Eve. Jasmine is shocked as she is personally acquainted with the lecturer and knows him to be a kind and thoughtful individual. Eve appears to have heard the comment and is now visibly upset.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Jasmine in this situation?

• immediately challenge the lecturer for using inappropriate language

• inform the academic tutor of the incident

• ask a few fellow students for their opinion before progressing further

C — would interrupt the lecture further. It is also Eve’s responsibility to do so, and it may require further discussion with her before Jasmine raises issue on her behalf.

A — very appropriate to inform the academic tutor, whose responsibility it is to oversee the delivery of the lecture programme. This may have happened before and so a record needs to be kept of such behaviour, both by Eve and the lecturer.

B — Ultimately it is Eve’s responsibility to take this matter further with the lecturer if she so wishes, or to delegate that to one of her colleagues. Jasmine could approach fellow students on her behalf to discuss what happened.

A student, Aaron, is speaking to a friend on his course, Lei. Aaron tells Lei that he has been given negative feedback from a clinician about his interpersonal skills, particularly his interactions with patients. He thinks that the feedback is unfair and he is clearly upset.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Lei in this situation?

• discuss with aaron what feels unfair about the feedback

• suggest aaron report the clinician to the university for unfair feedback

• advise aaron to seek feedback from other people on his interpersonal skills

A — Discussion with Lei about feedback that has been received is a very useful and appropriate exercise. Being able to critically appraise performance and peer review with one another will form an important part of Aaron’s professional development. It allows him to contextualise feedback before taking things further.

D — no evidence that the clinician was wrong in his assessment. Aaron needs to start to reflect on the feedback that he is given, which will allow him to accept the comments and make productive steps forward.

A

A student, Darwish, is conducting an interview with a patient, Mrs Jain, on the request of a consultant. Mrs Jain mentions that a nurse friend of hers has recommended a new medication to treat her headaches. Mrs Jain is concerned about the side effects of this medication and asks Darwish's opinion about whether or not she should take it. Darwish is not familiar with this new medication.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Darwish in this situation?

• ask mrs jain more about her concerns

• suggest mrs jain find an alternative medication if she is concerned

A

D — Prescriptions should be based on a full medical assessment and diagnosis carried out by a qualified and registered healthcare professional

A nurse asks Dr Burns to assist her with a patient consultation. The patient has become angry and is demanding to see a clinician. When Dr Burns and the nurse arrive at the patient's bed, the patient tells Dr Burns that he has been waiting a very long time and the nurse has been rude and unhelpful. The nurse does not say anything.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Dr Burns in this situation?

• apologise for the nurse’s rudeness

• after the consultation, ask the nurse how she felt about the interaction with the patient

• apologise to the patient for the long wait.

D — By apologising for the nurse’s rudeness, Dr Burns is accepting of the patient’s complaint without establishing the facts. It would be inappropriate to follow this course of action

A — The nurse should be questioned about the interaction, and it is entirely appropriate to do so after the patient encounter has ended.

A — It is always courteous to apologise to patients that have had to wait, regardless of the reason.

A consultant is conducting a ward round and is being observed by a junior doctor. During the examination of a patient, the consultant uses patronising and sexist language towards the patient. The patient is shocked but does not appear distressed by the consultant's language.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by the junior doctor in this situation?

• tell the consultant in front of the patient that his language was inappropriate

• wait until the consultant has finished examining the patient and has moved away, then tell the consultant that such language is not apropriate

• talk to another senior member of staff about the consultant’s language towards the patient

D — Discussing working practice in front of the patient is inappropriate. This should be discussed at a later time.

A — It is entirely appropriate to wait until after the clinical encounter before broaching this subject with the consultant.

A —  As a junior doctor, it would be appropriate to talk to another senior member of staff about how to negotiate the situation.

Ahmad, a first year medical student, is walking through the hospital reception when he notices a doctor shouting at the receptionist, in front of patients. The doctor tells the receptionist that she is incompetent because she has booked too many appointments for him in his diary and angrily leaves the room. The receptionist looks upset and goes back to working on her computer. Ahmad has heard from colleagues that this doctor has a short temper; however, he does not feel that the doctor's shouting was appropriate behaviour.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Ahmad in this situation

• ask a fellow medical student om what to do

• speak to his supervisor about the doctor’s outburst

• ask the nurse if she is ok

• encourage the nurse to report the doctor’s behaviour to the ward manager

B (i think it’ll always b B in the way that scaling up is always a C) For this incident, concern should be raised with guidance and support from an appropriate person with the necessary knowledge and experience, such as an educational or clinical supervisor. It is not ideal for a fellow student to appropriately advise Ahmad.

A — Medical professionals must not abuse, discriminate against, bully or harass anyone. Medical guidance also outlines how any medical professional who witnesses these types of unacceptable behaviour must report it.

A — Medical professionals must treat colleagues with kindness, courtesy and respect

B — see image because I am confused af

Two medical students, Craig and Anthea, have been assigned to work together to interview and examine a patient on a hospital ward. They have been told that one of them should interview the patient and the other should conduct an examination. Craig interviews the patient and then begins to start an examination of the patient without involving Anthea.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Anthea in this situation?

• allow craig to conduct the examination, but afterwards talk to him about why it was necessary for her to be involved

• ask the patient if she and craig can be excused, then tell him that she should conduct the examination as he has conducted the interview

• inform a more senior doctor that craig did not give her the chance to conduct the examination

B — Allowing Craig to finish is a good idea, in order to avoid confrontation in front of the patient. However, Anthea loses out on a valuable learning experience on this occasion

A — It is most appropriate to have a discussion about this away from the patient. Doing it before Craig gets too involved means that Anthea does not miss out on a valuable learning experience.

C — This is not a good course of action. It would be expected that you resolve minor team-working issues locally rather than immediately involving more senior staff.

A medical student is observing a consultant on a hospital ward. The consultant is called away on an emergency, leaving the medical student at the bedside of a patient who has taken an overdose of drugs in a suspected suicide attempt. The consultant has recommended that she remain in hospital for two days for a period of observation, although there is no immediate medical concern. The patient is obviously emotionally distressed and tells the medical student that she needs to leave the hospital straight away.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by the medical student in this situation?

• suggest she discuss her concerns with the consultant when he comes back

• tell the patient she should ask the ward reception if she can leave

• tell the patient she is not allowed to leave the hospital for two days

• explain to the patient that the consultant has recommended that she should stay in the hospital for a couple of days

B — appropriate to recommend that the patient waits in order to discuss this further with the consultant. The student is not qualified to make any recommendations, and it would be inappropriate for the patient to discuss the matter with anyone else. However, the patient should also be reminded about the consultant’s advice.

D — The ward reception is not responsible for deciding whether patients can or cannot leave. This is an inappropriate course of action.

C — Although telling the patient that she is not allowed to leave for two days satisfies the senior doctor’s recommendation, a patient is free to come and go from hospital as they choose, whilst there is no immediate concern. This action is therefore inappropriate.

A — The senior doctor has overall responsibility for the care of the patient and so re-iterating his or her advice is the most appropriate course of action.

Ebba and Raahul are dental students on placement in a dental practice. Raahul was supposed to start at 9:00am but Ebba sees that it is now 9:30am and he has still not arrived. She receives a text from him saying that he is on his way to work and asking if Ebba can sign him in to work for 9:00am, to make it appear that he started on time this morning. Ebba knows that Raahul has been late on many occasions previously and that the dental practice manager is not happy about this. 

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Ebba should take in response to this situation. 

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

1- Text back to say his request was not professional

2- Do not text back or take any action at all

3- Text back asking why he is late, stating this will determine whether to agree with his request

A medical student, Briony, is observing a senior doctor on a hospital ward round. During the ward round, the senior doctor sees a patient, Sidney, who has recently been tested for a serious terminal illness. The results of the test are not available yet. Sidney’s son is with him. When the senior doctor moves on to the next patient, the son takes Briony aside. He says to her quietly that if the results indicate a terminal illness, Sidney should not be informed of this.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Briony should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

1- Explain to the son that it is important to inform Sydney of the outcome of the test

2- Advise the son he should discuss his request with the senior doctor

3- Ask the senior doctor not to tell Briony if the test shows terminal illness

Two medical students, Rhiannon and Emma-Jo, have just finished interviewing and examining a male patient. During their conversation with him, the patient mentioned that he has a husband. Before they leave the patient, Emma-Jo tells him that she is a member of a faith group who can offer help to individuals in understanding their sexuality. She suggests to the patient that he should consider contacting them. The patient looks angry.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Rhiannon should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

Francis is working on a group project with three other students. He works well with all of the group members, including Alyssea, the group leader. However, Francis has noticed that when planning the project, Alyssea has not shared out the tasks evenly across the group. Francis and one other team member have been given more than their fair share of tasks, meaning that they have needed to work late regularly to complete them, whilst Alyssea and the final group member do not seem to have as much to do.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Francis should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

Natasha is a dental student. She is due at a dental clinic session where she will be conducting consultations with patients, under supervision. Her attendance at the dental clinic session is very important to her performance on her course. She notices that she has lost her student photo identification badge that includes her photograph, name, course and year of study. She is aware that this must be worn during such sessions because it identifies to others that students are in fact studying and not yet qualified.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Natasha when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that an identification badge must be worn when on clinical sessions

• that the patients, with whom she will be interacting, are made aware that she is not yet qualified

A

A

Mia, a medical student, is on a placement at an antenatal clinic in a rural community. The clinic is under resourced with only one doctor and three midwives. A patient comes into the clinic to have her baby delivered. Most staff, including the doctors, are unavailable as they are dealing with emergencies. An experienced midwife requests support from Mia to deliver the baby. Mia does not feel comfortable helping deliver the baby.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Mia when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that no other staff are available

• the risks involved with delivering the baby

• that the midwife is experienced in delivering the baby

• the learning opportunities she will gain from help delivering the baby

• she does not feel comfortable helping deliver the baby

A

C — This is of minor importance because what is more important is ensuring that the patient and her baby are safe. Patient safety must be placed first at all times. In this case, patient safety must be considered first, regardless of the lack of resources.

A — as Mia must consider if she is competent enough to appropriately manage these risks and assist the midwife to safely deliver the baby. As a medical student with limited knowledge, experience, competence and scope of practice, Mia must recognise and only work within the limits of her competence.

B — Mia has limited knowledge and scope of practice as a medical student, so, she is required to work under the supervision of more experienced qualified clinicians within the MDT, such as the midwife in this case. Doctors work with colleagues in the ways that best serve patients’ interests. Under these conditions, Mia may be able to assist with the safe delivery of the patient’s baby, under the direction and supervision of the experienced midwife.

C — doctors including trainees must regularly take part in activities that maintain and develop their competence. BUTT patient safety must always be priority. though the experience of assisting with the delivery will be of value for Mia’s development, a more important consideration is the patient’s safety and the safe delivery of her baby.

Douglas is a medical student working in a hospital. A fellow medical student, Elisa, informs him that one of her patient’s left her sunglasses in the consultation room earlier today. Elisa calls the patient’s phone using the phone number on record and the patient’s husband answers. Elisa explains to the patient’s husband that his wife has left her sunglasses at the hospital. The patient’s husband begins to panic and explains that he did not know that his wife had a hospital appointment. Elisa begins to explain details about the patient’s treatment. Douglas knows that it is against hospital policy to share patient information to anyone other than the patient.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Douglas when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• if elisa regularly discusses patient’s treatment with their family members without their consent

• if elisa has undertaken the appropriate confidentiality training

• whether elisa knows her supervisor can advise her on what to do in this situation

• whether the patient’s husband will pass the message on to his wife

Ember is paired with another student, Jace, for their final assessment for a course module that is due in one month. The assignment is worth 50% of their grade. They meet to discuss how the assignment is progressing when Jace tells Ember that he has been dealing with some personal issues and that he has been struggling to complete his part of the assignment. He asks Ember if she would be able to complete his part of the assignment as well as her own.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Ember when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• the personal issues Jace is dealing with

• the impact that completing the work would have on her workload

• that the assigment is not due for a month

• that jace may be struggling with his other assignments as well

Minnie is a dental student on placement in a teaching hospital along with her two friends, who are also dental students. Minnie and her friends all have a graded exam tomorrow but due to the busy placement, they have not had a lot of time to study. Minnie's fellow placement student, Emmanuel, has called in sick today. When Minnie texts him to see how he is, he tells her that he has taken time off in order to study and asks her not to tell anyone. When observing patients, the lead dentist asks Minnie where Emmanuel is.

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Minnie when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that she would be lying for emmanuel

• that she would be lying to the lead dentist

• that she may have to take on emmanuel’s workload as he has called in sick

• that emmanuel may score higher than her on the exam

Shannon, a medical student, is on a flight to Thailand for a holiday. With two hours until landing, a flight attendant makes an announcement asking if there are any medically qualified people on board as there has been a medical emergency. Shannon has had a lot of medical training but is not yet a qualified doctor. The announcement repeats a few times and Shannon suspects that there are no medically qualified people on board. Other passengers are becoming increasingly anxious because of the repeated announcements. Shannon must decide if she should respond to the call

How important to take into account are the following considerations for Shannon when deciding how to respond to the situation?

• that the situation has been declared a medical emergency

• that even if she responds to the call, Shannon may not be able to assist in a meaningful way

• that another passenger may still come forward as medically qualified

Olivia, a medical student, is on a placement in a hospital ward with fellow student, Aoife. Aoife has just finished a ward round observing a consultant, Dr Webster. Aoife explains that during the ward round, Dr Webster asked her some very difficult questions that she was unable to answer. She is now very upset as she is worried that Dr Webster does not think that she is a competent medical student

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Olivia in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

“maybe you should revise the topics dr wester has asked you about so you can asnwer his questions if it happens again”

“you should speak to dr webster about how you’re feeling”

“i think you should discuss how you’re feeling with your supervisor”

“it was unfair of dr webster to ask such difficult questions”

“i’m sure dr webster wouldn’t think you are an incompetent medical student based on one interaction”

Maxime is completing a placement in the emergency department where earlier a child, Josie, was admitted. Josie is allergic to peanuts and her teenage brother, Sasha, who was looking after her at the time, gave her a biscuit that he did not realise contained peanuts. Josie has been treated and is now waiting with her parents to be discharged. Maxime finds Sasha sitting in the corridor crying. Sasha tells Maxime that he is very upset with himself and fears that his parents will never trust him again.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Maxime in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

“i’m sure your parents still trust you”

“i’m sure you didn’t give her peanuts on purpose, there’s no need to be upset”

“you’re parents would be silly not to trust you after one incident”

“the important thing is to learn from the situation”

Loki, a medical student, is on placement in a hospital. He is shadowing a doctor, Dr Nikolas, who is reporting test results back to a patient, Rhea, who has been suffering with chronic stomach pains. Dr Nikolas informs Rhea that all of her tests came back normal, and that the chronic stomach pains may just be a result of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Dr Nikolas then promptly leaves to attend to an emergency. Rhea tells Loki that she is upset that she still does not have a diagnosis.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Loki in this situation? Assume that each of the following responses would be said politely.

• “i will follow up with dr nikolas about what the next steps are for a formal diagnosis”

• “you should be happy that it’s just ibs”

• “i will ask dr nikolas if he can do any other tests”

• “come back if you are still having problems in the future”

• “i understand that it is frustrating that you do not have a diagnosis yet”

Gary is a medical student completing a placement in an outpatient clinic. His next patient is 18 year old Rachel, who has a significant heart condition. Rachel had surgery 2 years ago to insert a metal heart valve and because of this, she needs to take blood thinners. She needs to have monthly blood tests to ensure that she is taking the right amount of the blood thinners, as if not, this could have serious consequences. Gary notices that there are no blood test results for the past 2 months in Rachel’s notes. Rachel confirms that she missed the blood test appointments because she "does not feel that they are necessary".

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Gary in this situation?

• tell rachel it is important to attend her blood test appointments

• ask rachel why she belueves the appointments aren’t necessary

• ask rachel if there is anything stopping her from attending the appointments

• ask a senior colleague to explain to rachel the importance of having blood tests

• ask rachel if she understands why she needs to have the blood tests

• tell rachel she should cancel the blood test appointments if she if she is not going to attend in the future

Kelly, a medical student, is completing a placement on a busy admissions ward. Today she is shadowing a senior doctor, Dr Lambert, who has just admitted a patient with weakness in one leg. Dr Lambert has suggested that the most likely diagnosis is a stroke. Kelly is aware that staff on the ward often find Dr Lambert intimidating. One of the physiotherapists informs Kelly that there is a more likely alternative diagnosis for the patient. She asks Kelly to explain this to Dr Lambert, as he appears to be very busy.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Kelly in this situation?

• suggest that the physiotherapist to speak to dr lambert directly

• ask the physiotherapist for more information so that she can share this with dr lambert

• ask the physiotherapist why she doees not want to speak to dr lambert directly

• agree that dr lambert is busy so it is best if neither of them approach him

Hamza, a third year medical student, is working at the oncology department in a hospital. Skyla, the receptionist, tells him that she has received a letter from his patient’s GP. Hamza opens the letter and realises that it was sent four weeks ago. The letter contains important information regarding Hamza’s patient which is critical to the patient’s care. Hamza asks Skyla why the letter had not been brought to his attention earlier. Skyla explains that she did not have time to open the letter as she has taken on additional responsibilities due to staffing issues at the hospital.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Hamza in this situation?

• ask skyla if there is anything he can do to help manage her workload

• suggest to skyla she talk to her supervisor about her increasing workload

• explain to skyla that she should work harder to make sure this does not happen again

A junior doctor, Naomi, is working on a hospital ward, which is particularly busy today due to a member of staff being ill. After lunch she receives a call from the surgical team telling her that they are running behind schedule with today’s surgical procedures. They explain that she needs to tell the last patient on their list, Harry, that his operation will be delayed until tomorrow, and they will make him first on tomorrow’s list. This makes no difference to Harry’s safety. However, Naomi knows this operation is to remove a tumour and that Harry has been very anxious about the surgery. She explains to Harry that she has been asked to tell him that his surgery will not happen today.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Naomi in this situation?

• ask harry if he can come back to her tomorrow with any questions he may have, rather than asking them now, because she is so busy

• ask a medical student to explain to harry why is surgery is being postponed to tomorrow

• explain to harry the reaons why the surgery will not happen today

• promise to harry she will somehow ensure the surgery happens as planned today

• tell harry that having the surgery postponed to tomorrow will not affect his safety

It is 6pm and Simon, a junior doctor, is checking the notes of a patient, Jill. Jill is a patient on the ward. She is due to undergo an urgent surgical procedure tomorrow at 10am. Whilst checking the notes, Simon realises that he has forgotten to order a blood clotting test for Jill. The results of the test are required before surgery can take place. Simon goes to the laboratory to see if the test can be done urgently. He finds that it closed at 5pm and will re-open at 9am tomorrow. He does not think that this will allow enough time for the test to be done before Jill has her operation.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Simon in this situation?

• immediately contact the surgical team and explain the situation

• explain the situation to the laboratory staff as soon as they open in the morning

• arrange for jill’s surgical procedure to be rescheduled for a different day and for jill to be informed

• ask the surgical team to switch jill’s appointment for later in the day tomorrow

• immediately contact jill and explain the situation

Ashraf and Chloe are medical students who are shadowing GPs this week. They are both walking towards the clinic reception to collect their next patients. As they enter the clinic reception, Ashraf and Chloe call the names of their patients. As the patients get up, Chloe loudly tells Ashraf that she thinks that the reception staff should be responsible for collecting patients, as students have better things to do with their time. Ashraf notices that both patients and the receptionist have heard Chloe’s remark, and that the receptionist looks upset by the comment.

How appropriate are each of the following responses by Ashraf in this situation?

• suggest that chloe explain her opinion to the paitents

• apologise to the patient for chloe’s comment

• inform chloe that her comment is inappropriate, in front of the receptionist and patients

• suggest to chloe that she raises her views about collecting patients with her educational supervisor

A student, Pooja, is working with another student, Cerys, on a group project. The two are supposed to meet up three afternoons a week to work on their project. For the last few weeks, Cerys has either been late to their sessions or has not shown up at all. Cerys has previously mentioned that she sometimes finds it difficult to balance her studies and look after her two children. The project is falling behind because of Cerys’ absence, and Pooja is concerned that they will not finish the project on time.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Pooja should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

Most appropriate: Ask Cerys whether there is a more suitable arrangement that would enable them to complete the project together

B is the most appropriate response. Pooja has identified that there are reasons Cerys may be finding their meet ups difficult. It is always more important to ‘ask’ to find if there is more information or a better solution that can work for both of them as this shows understanding and empathy to Cerys and the additional challenges she may be facing. It is a non-judgemental way of finding a practical solution so that they can work better together, and complete their group project which is mutually beneficial. Although option C shows empathy, it is not trying to find a practical solution.

 

Least appropriate: Explain to Cerys that her absence is having an impact on the group’s ability to complete the project

A is the least appropriate response. This option does not show empathy nor help to find a practical solution for Pooja or Cerys to move forward with their project. Pooja has already recognised that Cerys has other reasons why the regular meet ups might be difficult, she needs to show understanding to Cerys’s situation and see if a different solution might work better for them both.

Ava-Mae, a medical student, is coming to the end of her first placement at a hospital. As part of her training and development, Ava-Mae’s educational supervisor has arranged a feedback session on her performance in her first placement. Ava-Mae’s educational supervisor starts the session by congratulating her on her first placement, however, he proceeds to tell Ava-Mae that some of her colleagues have raised concerns about the way she speaks to patients. Her colleagues have described her as rude and dismissive.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Ava-Mae should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

Maja and her classmates are coming out of their final lecture before their exams begin. Maja overhears her friend Ronnie speaking to her other friend Sadie. Ronnie tells Sadie that he will help her study for the exam. The following day, Sadie tells Maja that Ronnie cancelled their study session one hour before they were due to meet. Maja knows Ronnie cancelled on Sadie to go to watch a film with another friend.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Maja should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.

Joe and Lionel are medical students who are on a placement together in a hospital. Joe suspects that Lionel is occasionally stealing small quantities of painkillers from the hospital pharmacy. When he confronts Lionel about it, Lionel tearfully reveals he is addicted to the painkillers, and begs him not to tell anybody. Joe is torn as he feels that the stealing cannot continue, but Lionel is a close friend of his and has been a source of support for Joe on multiple occasions.

Choose both the one most appropriate action and the one least appropriate action that Joe should take in response to this situation.

You will not receive any marks for this question unless you select both the most and least appropriate actions.