Assignment/exercise
Tools for Responding to Patient-Initiated Verbal Sexual Harassment: A Workshop for Trainees and Faculty
MedEdPORTAL, Vol.17(1), pp.11096-11096
02/11/2021
DOI: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11096
PMID: 33598539
Abstract
Patients are the most common source of gender-based harassment of resident physicians, yet residents receive little training on how to handle it. Few resources exist for residents wishing to address patient-initiated verbal sexual harassment themselves.
We developed, taught, and evaluated a 50-minute workshop to prepare residents and faculty to respond to patient-initiated verbal sexual harassment toward themselves and others. The workshop used an interactive lecture and role-play scenarios to teach a tool kit of communication strategies for responding to harassment. Participants completed retrospective pre-post surveys on their ability to meet the learning objectives and their preparedness to respond.
Ninety-one participants (57 trainees, 34 faculty) completed surveys at one of five workshop sessions across multiple departments. Before the workshop, two-thirds (67%) had experienced patient-initiated sexual harassment, and only 28 out of 59 (48%) had ever addressed it. Seventy-five percent of participants had never received training on responding to patient-initiated sexual harassment. After the workshop, participants reported significant improvement in their preparedness to recognize and respond to all forms of patient-initiated verbal sexual harassment (
< .01), with the greatest improvements noted in responding to mild forms of verbal sexual harassment, such as comments on appearance or attractiveness or inappropriate jokes (
< .01).
This workshop fills a void by preparing residents and faculty to respond to verbal sexual harassment from patients that is not directly observed. Role-play and rehearsal of an individualized response script significantly improved participants' preparedness to respond to harassment toward themselves and others.
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Educational Objectives
By the end of this activity, learners will be able to:
1. Discuss the prevalence and impact of patient-initiated sexual harassment on trainees and the learning environment.
2. Describe the role of supervisors and colleagues in monitoring and responding to sexual harassment by patients and identify potential barriers to this process.
3. Recognize various forms of patient-initiated sexual harassment.
4. Apply at least three practical strategies for responding to sexual harassment from patients.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Tools for Responding to Patient-Initiated Verbal Sexual Harassment: A Workshop for Trainees and Faculty
- Creators
- Lauren E Hock - University of IowaPatrick B Barlow - University of IowaBrittni A Scruggs - Oregon Health & Science UniversityThomas A Oetting - University of IowaDenise A Martinez - University of IowaMichael D Abràmoff - University of IowaErin M Shriver - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Assignment/exercise
- Publication Details
- MedEdPORTAL, Vol.17(1), pp.11096-11096
- DOI
- 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11096
- PMID
- 33598539
- ISSN
- 2374-8265
- eISSN
- 2374-8265
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/11/2021
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; ICTS; Family and Community Medicine; Center for Social Science Innovation; Otolaryngology; Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; Office of Consultation and Research in Medical Education; General Internal Medicine; Medicine Administration; University College Courses; Internal Medicine; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984182977102771
Metrics
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