Abstract
We previously demonstrated that Pediatric level 3 residents (PL3's) expressed attitudes of greater reluctance to resuscitate certain high risk infants than did Pediatric level 1 residents (PL1's) tested on the first day of training. We have followed our original group of PL1's at yearly intervals throughout residency training. Cumulative Guttman scaling procedures were employed to construct an attitude scale to measure the willingness of residents to resuscitate infants in a variety of clinical circumstances. A dynamic model of attitude change was tested using correlation and regression procedures. Residents demonstrated significantly increasing reluctance to resuscitate high risk infants over the first year of training compared to the first day of training (p<0.01), and again over the second year compared to the attitudes expressed at the end of the first year (p<0.01). This reluctance to resuscitate infants was accentuated by marriage (p<.005), but not by age, gender, or religious preference. There were no significant changes during the third year. These longitudinally acquired data support our original cross-sectional data demonstrating an association of Pediatric training and attitudes concerning neonatal resuscitation. These attitude changes are greatest during the first 2 years of training and may be accentuated by other personal factors.
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Berseth, C., Durand, R. & Kenny, J. CHANGES IN RESIDENT NEONATAL ETHICAL ATTITUDES ASSOCIATED WITH PEDIATRIC TRAINING. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 228 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00808
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00808