Audit and research

Question 1

What is a clinical audit;

Answer 1

Systematic analysis of current practice
Compared to set standards
With a view to improve care

Question 2

Audit cycle

Answer 2

Identify issue
Identify standard
Collect data	
Compare current practice to standard
Implement change/ intervention
Re-audit (close loop)

Question 3

Why are audits important:

Answer 3

Ensure best practice
Identifies problems
encourages development solutions
Shows departments standard of care

Question 4

Issues with audit process

Answer 4

Local process – not transferred easily
Doctors often leave department before re-audit
Often no intervention put in place

Question 5

Tell us about an audit you did:

Answer 5

entire audit cycle 
Intervention improved care.
Minimal supervision.
FNOF care in ED. RCEM standards of care
Improve time to analgesia.
nursing proforma developed
Carried out all aspects of audit
Presented results 
nominated for...

Question 6

Difference between audit and research

Answer 6

Audit compares practice to set standards
 – aim for best practice
Research  
new knowledge to establish best practice 
- +/- experimentation
- Results can be generalised

Question 7

Why research important:

Answer 7

Doctors
--establish best practice 
-- this can be generalized
Trust have
-- cutting edge medication/ technology

Question 8

Should all junior doctors do research:

Answer 8

Research; time consuming + expensive
Division of labour: efficient
– best researchers access to scarce funds, resources
All doctors should understand evidence for best practice

Question 9

Tell us about your research experience:

Answer 9

BSc project: Dengue virus protein trafficking
LIMM; COX-2 inhibitor assay
paper: identified an ERbeta promoter
Sheffield: mAB validation,
Characterize phosphorylation site PC2
DNA and protein analysis. Cloning. Cell culture