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. 2012 Jun 22;27(11):1492–1498. doi: 10.1007/s11606-012-2121-6

Table 2.

Domains for Successful Ward Attending Rounds

DOMAINS AND ATTRIBUTES Mean Rating
Faculty Trainees Overall
Domain 1: Learning Atmosphere 4.11
Be approachable—not intimidating (1) 4.74 4.34 4.45
Insist on respect for all team members (16) 4.71 4.32 4.43
Showing enthusiasm (2) 4.65 3.92 4.13
Showing appreciation of team members for work performed (5) 4.35 3.89 4.02
Giving positive and negative feedback to all team members (12) 4.26 3.92 4.02
Allow room for mistakes (28) 3.97 3.98 3.98
Encourage a serious but relaxed atmosphere (13) 3.79 3.74 3.79
 
Domain 2: Clinical Teaching 4.10
Teaching by example (ie. good bedside manner) (8) 4.71 4.43 4.50
Sharing of attending’s thought processes (4) 4.44 4.47 4.46
Setting aside time to teach (9) 4.06 4.15 4.12
Ensure attendings have a comprehensive knowledge base (19) 3.85 4.22 4.12
Integrate theory with actual patients and findings (18) 3.71 4.04 3.97
Teaching throughout rounds (3) 3.68 4.04 3.93
Discuss pathophysiology in relation to treatment plan (14) 3.62 4.00 3.89
Discuss relevant, evidence-based studies and literature (20) 3.78 3.82 3.81
 
Domain 3: Teaching Style 3.80
Ask questions of team about decisions (what and why) (15) 4.38 3.97 4.08
Have part of rounds at bedside, demonstrate key physical findings (22) 3.79 4.14 4.08
Having succinct teaching points (11) 3.91 3.94 3.93
Focus more on teaching than “getting the work done” (25) 3.03 3.12 3.09
 
Domain 4: Communicating Expectations 3.63
Stating expectations for residents/students (6) 4.59 4.29 4.37
Allow team some independence in decision-making (7) 4.41 4.02 4.13
Seek more patient feedback (29) 3.06 3.01 3.03
Ensure no interruptions until presentations are finished (24) 3.03 3.02 3.02
 
Domain 5: Team Management 3.63
Conduct rounds in an organized, efficient, & timely fashion (17) 4.47 4.36 4.39
Having a consistent, coherent plan of care (10) 4.26 4.21 4.22
Address appropriate discharge plans for & with each patient (26) 3.94 3.77 3.81
Allow time on rounds for residents to meet other responsibilities (21) 3.12 3.86 3.64
Select some cases to present in full and abridge others (27) 3.76 3.52 3.59
Write orders while rounding (30) 2.41 3.28 3.03
Having sit-down rounds before seeing patients (23) 2.44 2.87 2.75

Attributes within each domain, organized by mean ratings of perceived importance by 125 general medicine faculty, internal medicine and family medicine residents, and medical students (2008–09) on a 5-point Likert scale (1-not important at all, 5-extremely important). In parentheses are randomly assigned numbers corresponding to points on the cognitive map