A core surgical trainee collects data on whether surgical inpatients had a VTE risk assessment as soon as possible after admission or by the time of first consultant review, as NICE NG89 recommends. She presents the results, the department brings in a new admission proforma, and she plans to collect the data again in 6 months. Which feature best tells this project apart from research?
- A. It does not need any form of registration or approval
- B. It measures current practice against a predefined standard
- C. It must involve randomisation of patients
- D. Its results can never be published
- E. Patients must give written informed consent to be included
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. It measures current practice against a predefined standard
Clinical audit measures current practice against an agreed, evidence-based standard, puts changes in place, and then re-audits to close the loop (the audit cycle). Research aims to create new, generalisable knowledge and needs research ethics approval. Audit does not need REC approval but should be registered with the trust's clinical audit department.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Audits should still be registered with and approved by the local clinical audit or governance department.
- C. Randomisation belongs to experimental research; audit never allocates patients to treatments.
- D. Audit results can be published and presented, and often are.
- E. Audit uses routinely collected data and normally does not need individual written consent.