The transition from knowing to doing: teaching junior doctors how to use insulin in the management of diabetes mellitus

Objective To develop and evaluate a short education programme to improve the skills and confidence of junior doctors in managing the glycaemic control of inpatients with diabetes mellitus. Methods A total of 15 junior doctors completed two 1-hour workshops on the practical skills required to manage the glycaemic control of insulin-treated patients. The workshops were based on simulated case scenarios presented in a workbook format. Pre-workshop performance and levels of confidence were tested, using a set of tasks matched to the learning objectives. Participants were re-tested immediately after the second workshop and again after 3 months. Results There was a significant overall effect for time of testing for performance and confidence considered together, F (4,11) = 12.67, P = 0.000, power = 1.00. The mean score for performance for the intermediate and 3-month post-tests combined was significantly higher than the mean performance score for the pre-test (11.00 < [17.53 + 15.80]), t (56) = -6.50, P = 0.000 (95% CI -6.15, -3.10). The mean score for confidence for the intermediate and 3 month post-tests combined was higher than the mean for the pre-test (13.20 < [15.33 + 15.20]), t (56) = 2.95, P = 0.011 (95% CI 2.19, 0.46), although this result must be treated with caution. Conclusions A brief educational intervention can improve and maintain the performance and confidence of junior doctors in managing patients with insulin-treated diabetes in a simulated environment.