ICU ROTATION OF HOUSE OFFICERS; DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?

Abstract

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: An emerging subspecialty with promising prospects is critical care medicine.

OBJECTIVES: After 15 days of posting in the Medical ICU, House Officers' of critical care medicine

were asked to evaluate their subjective improvement and interest in the field. Study design: Crosssectional descriptive study PLACE AND DURATION: From December 2015 to May 2016, Civil

Hospital Karachi's medical intensive care unit. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The house officers

were required to complete a pre-designed questionnaire to assess the subjective improvement in their

knowledge of critical care medicine, basic mechanical ventilation, and commonly performed ICU

procedures after 15 days of posting in the Medical ICU. Additionally, they provided feedback on the

ICU rotation's duration and format in the questionnaire. Additionally, they were asked about the growing

interest in critical care. RESULTS: Hundred and six house officers of Medical ICU participated in the

study. 95.3% respondents concurred that ICU rotation improved their knowledge about mechanical

ventilation while 90.6% acknowledged an improvement in their knowledge of critical care medicine.

69.8% house officers felt that 15 days are inadequate for ICU posting and suggested that ICU rotation

should be extended to one month. Finally 62.3% interns admitted that their interest in the field of Critical

Care Medicine has increased and 32.1% expressed interest to pursue Critical Care as their field of

specialization. CONCLUSION: Rotation of House officers in Medical ICU improved their critical care

knowledge and skills and positively influenced their attitude towards critical care medicine as a

specialty.