THE IMPORTANCE OF GUIDELINES’ KNOWLEDGE FOR THE PERCEIVED SELF-AUTONOMY AMONG NEWLY LICENSED DOCTORS

Newly licensed physicians (NLPs) are frequently involved in emergencies, requiring a prompt and efficient cardiopulmonary resuscitation, despite poor knowledge about life-support algorithms acquired during academic studies, and low self-confidence levels. This study aims to estimate the influence of guidelines’ knowledge on young physicians’ self-perceived autonomy in the most common practical scenarios. In this study, 981 young Italian doctors were enrolled (mean age 26.6 years old). The recruiting process was carried out during emergency management training courses. Two self-administered questionnaires have been proposed, respectively, about the knowledge of the algorithms and the self-perceived autonomy in five different scenarios. Young, non-specialized doctors showed low self-confidence, as the average score didn’t reach a “passing grade” in any of the questions asked. Only 195 doctors (19.9%) reach the “expertise” group (at least 3 out of 5 scenarios perceived as manageable). The results of the One-Way ANOVA indicate that attending the course has a significant impact on an individual's perceived autonomy. This study suggests the relevance of proper training on the algorithms during and after medical school, to form practically prepared doctors, and to allow the professionals to work safely.