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Resident Perceptions of Power-Based Violence and Impact of Bystander Intervention Training

Purpose: To evaluate resident perceptions of power-based violence (PBV) and assess initial impact of bystander intervention (BI) training.

Background: Creating a safe, welcoming workplace is important in medical education.  PBV in the form of overt aggression, microaggression, or bullying can threaten the educational community.  BI training offers residents a skill set to intervene to counteract PBV and foster a safer, welcoming clinical environment for their teams.

Methods: Pre-training and post-training surveys were completed by OB-Gyn residents at Vanderbilt prior to formal Green Dots BI training.  The survey assessed frequency of experienced or witnessed PBV, sexism, and racism.  Residents self-assessed their ability to recognize overt versus subtle PBV, and whether they would intervene in instances of PBV based on the role of the perpetrator.  Residents completing BI training were re-surveyed with the same instrument 3 months later.  Exempt IRB approval was obtained.

Results: 22 active residents were surveyed pre-training. 19 residents completed BI training and the post-training survey.  Active residents reported at least sometimes being the target of PBV (22.7%), sexism (45.5%), or racism (9.0%).  Even more residents reported at least sometimes witnessing PBV (50.0%), sexism (59.1%), or racism (45.5%).  Residents’ willingness to intervene varied by perpetrator: fellow resident (59.0%), attending (18.2%), nursing staff (40.9%).  100% of active residents felt obligated to foster a safe work environment free of PBV.  
Among residents completing BI training, the percentage reporting recognition of overt PBV increased after training from 84.2% to 94.7% (p=0.29), and the percentage reporting recognition of subtle PBV increased after training from 78.9% to 89.5% (p=0.37).  There was a modest increase after training in the percentage reporting they would intervene for PBV perpetrated by a resident (52.6% to 57.9%, p=0.74) or nursing staff (31.6% to 36.8%, p=0.73), but no change for faculty-perpetrated PBV.

Discussions: PBV is experienced and/or witnessed by residents not infrequently.  While residents are more likely to intervene for PBV perpetrated by a fellow resident, they are less likely to intervene when perpetrated by attendings or nursing staff.  BI training appears to offer modest improvements in recognition of PBV and willingness to intervene, but its effect in this study was limited by sample size.

Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2020, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Residency Director, Professionalism, GME, UME, Team-Based Learning, Advocacy,