Question types.
a) Section 1
b) Section 2
- Section 1: (two-thirds of the questions)
a. Rank in order the appropriateness of the following five actions (think ‘OR’, imagine you can only do one of them)
b. Rank the order in which you would do five actions (chronology important - consider urgency of each)
c. Rank in order the importance of the following considerations in the management (not actions, but things to consider - what is their relative importance?) - Section 2 (one-third of the questions)
a. Select the three most appropriate options out of eight (think ‘AND’ - they must make sense in combination)
Five attributes measured in the SJT
• Commitment to Professionalism
• Coping with Pressure
• Effective Communication
• Patient Focus
• Working Effectively as Part of a Team
Commitment to professionalism: examples
• Dealing with issues of confidentiality, (e.g. hearing a colleague talking about a patient outside of work)
• Challenging inappropriate behaviour, (e.g. consultant speaking to a colleague/patient in an inappropriate way)
• Commitment to learning, (e.g. need to go to teaching while also being needed on the ward)
Coping with Pressure: examples
• Knowing how to respond when you make a mistake,
(e.g. providing wrong medication to patient)
• Dealing with confrontation, (e.g. with an angry relative)
• Seeking help when not sure of the correct procedure / best way of doing things
Effective Communication: examples
• Gathering information and communicating your intentions to nursing staff or other colleagues
• Negotiating, (e.g. for a scan from radiology)
• Listening and effectively communicating, (e.g. with an unhappy patient or relative)
Patient Focus: examples
• Identifying that a patient’s views and concerns are important and they should have input into their care (AUTONOMY)
• Considering that a patient may have different needs from others around them (INDIVIDUALISM)
• Spending time trying to understand a patient’s concerns and empathising with them (UNDERSTANDING and EMPATHY)
Working Effectively as Part of a Team: examples
• Recognising and valuing the skills and knowledge of nursing staff, when faced with a disagreement about a patient’s care
• Consulting with colleagues about how to share workload fairly
• Offering assistance and support to colleagues when they are not able to handle their workload
Scoring.
a) Section 1
a) - Maximum score per question = 20
- Minimum score per question = 8
- Points are awarded per letter based on how far from their true rank they were placed.
- Correct = 4 points, 1 place away = 3 points… 4 places away = 0 points)
b) - Maximum score per question = 12
- Minimum score per question = 0
- Each correct response = 4 points
Structure.
a) Time for the test
b) Time per question
c) Number of questions
a) 2 hours, 20 mins
b) 2 mins
c) 70 items (60 ‘live’ items and 10 ‘pilot’ items)
Commitment to professionalism: features
- Is punctual
- Takes responsibility for own actions/work
- Owns up to mistakes
- Takes responsibility for own health and well-being
- Commitment to and enthusiasm/ motivation for role
- Aware of the responsibility of being a doctor
- Is reliable
- Honesty towards others (colleagues and patients)
- Trustworthy
- Identifies and challenges unacceptable or unsafe behaviour or situations when appropriate (colleague/ organisational issues)
- Challenges others’ knowledge where appropriate
- Aware of ethical issues, including confidentiality
Coping with pressure: features
- Remains calm and in control of situations
- Manages uncertainty/ambiguity
- Effectively deals with outcomes of mistakes/decisions
- Exhibits flexibility/adaptability when dealing with changing circumstance or issues
- Effective coping mechanisms for dealing with
stress/emotions - Demonstrates good judgement under pressure
- Does not give up easily
- Deals appropriately with confrontational/difficult situations (colleagues/patients)
- Seeks support when faced with stress/pressure
Effective communication (to patients): features
General.
1. Listens effectively
2. Ensures surroundings are appropriate when communicating
3. Responds to non-verbal cues
4. Uses non-verbal communication effectively
To patients.
1. Uses language that is understood by patients/relatives
2. Demonstrates sensitive use of language
3. Communicates information clearly and concisely
4. Adjusts communication style according to need
5. Adjusts how much information to provide according to
patient’s/relative’s needs
6. Informs patients and keeps them updated
7. Readily answers patient’s and relative’s questions
8. Ensures they have all the relevant info before communicating to patients/colleagues
9. Asks questions and seeks clarification to gain more information about the patient
10. Finds out patient’s/relative’s level of understanding
11. Allows patients/relatives to ask questions and uses silence effectively
12. Checks patient’s/relative’s understanding
13. Summarises information / reflects back to patients to clarify their own understanding
Effective communication (to colleagues): features
With colleagues.
1. Asks questions of colleagues to gain more information
2. Provides/summarises information accurately and concisely to colleagues
3. Provides only relevant information to colleagues
4. Keeps colleagues informed/updated (about patients and about where they will be)
5. Is able to negotiate/ use diplomacy
6. Knows what colleagues are asking for and why
7. Is assertive where necessary
8. Adapts style of communication according to situation
9. Clarifies information to check their own understanding
Written
1. Displays high standards of written communication
2. Uses concise and clear written communication
3. Has legible handwriting
Patient focus: features
- Gains trust from patients and instils confidence
- Empathetic towards patients
- Able to maintain appropriate distance from patients/
relatives - Willing to make self available to patients (for support /
provide continuity / get to know them) - Understands/considers the differing needs of patients
- Recognises that patients have different backgrounds/ values/ beliefs
- Shows respect for patients
- Works jointly with the patient about their care
- Recognises the patient as the centre of care
- Shows a genuine interest in patients
- Shows compassion towards patients/relatives
- Is willing to spend time with relatives
- Builds rapport with patients
- Is polite, courteous and presents an open manner when dealing with patients
- Provides reassurance to patients
- Considers patients’ safety at all times
Working well as part of a team: features
- Demonstrates an understanding of others’ roles within the team, including a recognition of others’ knowledge/ skills/ abilities/ roles/ responsibilities
- Is able to identify and utilise the most appropriate person for a task/ situation
- Is aware of own role/ responsibilities within a team
- Builds rapport and establishes relationships with other team members
- Supports others (in a non-task-related way)
- Is willing to offer assistance with tasks/workload
- Is willing to offer/provide advice
- Values other people’s opinions and contributions
- Shows respect for colleagues
- Delegates and shares tasks effectively
- Maintains harmony within the team
- Identifies when others are are struggling/ in difficulty
- Is able to take on board team members’ perspectives
- Is able to adapt role within team where necessary, e.g. take on role of leader
- Shares knowledge and expertise with colleagues
- Is willing to take direction from others
- Consults with others and asks for advice
- Makes others aware of own workload
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SJT Practice Paper 1 (Official)70
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SJT Practice Paper 2 (Official)70
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SJT format15
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GMC guidance32
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SJT glossary15
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SJT paper rationale48
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SJT - golden rules1
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SJT At A Glance Practice Paper50
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Oxford Handbook Practice Test60
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Commitment to Professionalism40
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Coping with Pressure40
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Effective Communication40
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Patient Focus40
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Working Effectively As Part of A Team40
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2023 UKFPO SJT Practice Paper75
