731 Operation Notes: Is Informal Training Enough?

Aim Operation notes are essential for continuity of patient care, communication between colleagues, medicolegal records and for coding and remuneration. This study aims to assess core surgical trainees (CST’s) understanding of completing accurate and detailed operation notes and their awareness of the RCS England Good Surgical Practice document (GSP 2014). Method Current CST’s who attended regional teaching were surveyed on their knowledge of what an adequate operation notes entails. Trainees then attended a 40-minute lecture on this topic and were then re-surveyed. Results Thirty trainees completed both questionnaires. No trainees had previously received formal teaching on how to complete operation notes. Most had received informal training in the clinical setting, usually by a registrar (93.3%). Operation notes were considered important for medicolegal reasons (53.3%), continuity of care (96.6%) and communication (53.3%). No one identified their importance for coding. Initial assessment showed only 26.6% of CST’s were aware of RCS GSP document. Responses regarding relevant information to be included in operation notes were variable: patient demographics (23.3%), procedure (93.3%) and post-operative instructions (90%). Improvements, between 3 - 70% increase, were noted in all questionnaire domains post teaching session. All trainees found a more formal session to be beneficial. Conclusions Although a small study, this demonstrates global improvements in knowledge after formal teaching session over informal clinical training. We believe this topic should be included in boot camp training at the start of core surgical training. It should include education in coding to ensure CST’s appreciate the significance of health information management.

Dismantling a Dystopia: On the Historiography of Music in the Third Reich

In 1981, the Gesellschaft für Musikforschung, the official society of German musicologists, held its first formal session on the subject of “Music in the 1930s.” Rudolf Stephan, then president of the society, concluded his opening remarks with the following admonition

Viewpoint

Although the ARLIS International Conference in April was primarily devoted to the study of art periodicals, considerable discussion, and one formal session, concerned the desirability of an international art libraries society, ARLIS International. With delegates from Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Eire, France, Germany, Holland, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, it was apparent that some consensus of opinion could be taken which would reflect the need for international cooperation between art libraries.

VIII An account of the report given by Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham to the joint committee of both Houses, respecting the negotiations for a Spanish marriage

MS 4 consists of eight foolscap folios, five written on both sides, one partly written on one side only, and two blank. It was originally folded, and the endorsement on the back of f. 8 would have been on the outside of the packet so formed. It is the first half of a detailed and circumstantial account of the report made to a joint committee of both Whole Houses by the Duke of Buckingham and Prince Charles on 24 February 1624. The subject of the report was the recent failure of the negotiations for a Spanish marriage, which had been dragging on for about ten years. So great was the interest of members in this report that special precautions were ordered to ensure that no one who was not a bona fide member of parliament should be admitted, and these precautions are hinted at in the opening sentences. Because this meeting was not a formal session of either house, report of the proceedings had to be made in both the Lords and the Commons. The Lord Keeper's report, delivered on Friday, 27 February, is fully recorded in the Lords Journal, The substance is naturally much the same as the contents of this document, but the style is completely different. As befitted a formal relation, the Lord Keeper omitted the circumstantial details which make this account vivid and interesting; the direct speech, and the Prince's interjections and comments. The House of Commons received a similar report on the same day from Sir Richard Weston and Sir Francis Cottington, both of whom had been personally involved in the negotiations. The version of this report printed in the Commons Journal is very sketchy and disjointed, being taken from the hasty jottings of MS Tanner 392.

Eighteenth Session of the Commission for Technical Co-operation in Africa

C.C.T.A. combined this formal Session, attended by representatives of the member governments, with meetings of its Administrative Committee and its technical assistance organ, the Foundation for Mutual Assistance in Africa (F.A.M.A.). This year's Administrative Committee meeting was notable as the first presided over by the new secretary-general, M Mamoudou Touré, formerly Mauritanian Ambassador in Paris. Delegates warmly welcomed the first African to hold the post, as well as paying tribute to the energetic guidance of his predecessor, M C. Cheysson. Two new member governments, Rwanda and Uganda, were welcomed, and Ghana resumed its place in the Commission, showing a desire to co-operate fully in its activities. There are now 25 African States as full members. The delegates elected as their chairman for the Session Mr A. Z. N. Swai, Minister without Portfolio in the Tanganyika Government, whose business-like approach enabled the agenda to be disposed of on time but without undue hurry.