Evaluating Nonphysician Staff Members' Self-Perceived Ability to Provide Multisource Evaluations of Residents

Abstract Background Multisource evaluations of residents offer valuable feedback, yet there is little evidence on the best way to collect these data from a range of health care professionals. Objective This study evaluated nonphysician staff members' ability to assess internal medicine residents' performance and behavior, and explored whether staff members differed in their perceived ability to participate in resident evaluations. Methods We distributed an anonymous survey to nurses, medical assistants, and administrative staff at 6 internal medicine residency continuity clinics. Differences between nurses and other staff members' perceived ability to evaluate resident behavior were examined using independent t tests. Results The survey response rate was 82% (61 of 74). A total of 55 respondents (90%) reported that it was important for them to evaluate residents. Participants reported being able to evaluate professional behaviors very well (62% [36 of 58] on the domain of respect to staff; 61% [36 of 59] ...