BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the efficacy of a 40-h training programme designed to teach residents the communication skills needed to break the bad news. METHODS: Residents were randomly assigned to the training programme or to a waiting list. A simulated patient breaking bad news (BBN) consultation was audiotaped at baseline and after training in the training group and 8 months after baseline in the waiting-list group. Transcripts were analysed by tagging the used communication skills with a content analysis software (LaComm) and by tagging the phases of bad news delivery: pre-delivery, delivery and post-delivery. Training effects were tested with generalised estimating equation (GEE) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). RESULTS: The trained residents (n ¼ 50) used effective communication skills more often than the untrained residents (n ¼ 48): more open questions (relative rate (RR) ¼ 5.79; Po0.001), open directive questions (RR ¼ 1.71; P ¼ 0.003) and empathy (RR ¼ 4.50; P ¼ 0.017) and less information transmission (RR ¼ 0.72; P ¼ 0.001). The pre-delivery phase was longer for the trained (1 min 53 s at baseline and 3 min 55 s after training) compared with the untrained residents (2 min 7 s at baseline and 1 min 46 s at second assessment time; Po0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows the efficacy of training programme designed to improve residents' BBN skills. The way residents break bad news may thus be improved.
Background and PurposeCommunication with patients is a core clinical skill in medicine that can be acquired through communication skills training. Meanwhile, the importance of transfer of communication skills to the workplace has not been sufficiently studied. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a 40-hour training program designed to improve patients' satisfaction and residents' communication skills during their daily clinical rounds.MethodsResidents were randomly assigned to the training program or to a waiting list. Patients' satisfaction was assessed with a visual analog scale after each visit. Transfer of residents' communication skills was assessed in audiotaped actual inpatient visits during a half-day clinical round. Transcripted audiotapes were analyzed using content analysis software (LaComm). Training effects were tested with Mann-Whitney tests and generalized linear Poisson regression models.ResultsEighty-eight residents were included. First, patients interacting with trained residents reported a higher satisfaction with residents' communication (Median = 92) compared to patients interacting with untrained residents (Median = 88) (p = .046). Second, trained residents used more assessment utterances (Relative Risk (RR) = 1.17; 95% Confidence intervals (95%CI) = 1.02–1.34; p = .023). Third, transfer was also observed when residents' training attendance was considered: residents' use of assessment utterances (RR = 1.01; 95%CI = 1.01–1.02; p = .018) and supportive utterances (RR = 0.99; 95%CI = 0.98–1.00; p = .042) (respectively 1.15 (RR), 1.08–1.23 (95%CI), p<.001 for empathy and 0.95 (RR), 0.92–0.99 (95%CI), p = .012 for reassurance) was proportional to the number of hours of training attendance.ConclusionThe training program improved patients' satisfaction and allowed the transfer of residents' communication skills learning to the workplace. Transfer was directly related to training attendance but remained limited. Future studies should therefore focus on the improvement of the efficacy of communication skills training in order to ensure a more important training effect size on transfer.
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