"What's Going to Happen?": Internal Medicine Resident Experiences of Uncertainty in the Care of Older Adults.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Internal medicine residents care for clinically complex older adults and may experience increased moral distress due to knowledge gaps, time constraints, and institutional barriers. We conducted a phenomenological study to explore residents' experiences and challenges through the lens of uncertainty.

Methods

Between January and March 2022, six focus groups were conducted comprising a total of 13 internal medicine residents in postgraduate years 2 and 3, who had completed a required 2-week geriatrics rotation. Applying the Beresford taxonomy of uncertainty as a conceptual model, data were analyzed using the framework method.

Results

All challenging experiences described by residents caring for older adults were linked to uncertainty. Sources of uncertainty were

SUBMITTER: Loewenthal JV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11780066 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature