An evaluation of a communication skills course for health visitor students

Abstract

This paper presents part of the findings of an extensive empirical evaluation of a communication skills training programme for health visitor students. The programme was designed to develop the health visitors' ability to communicate with clients. A wide range of interpersonal skills were addressed and the training format involved skill analysis, roleplay practice and video-recorded feedback. The method of evaluation included an appraisal of the health visitors' social behaviour in a roleplay of a home-visit to a pregnant client. Data were collected, both before and following training, in an attempt to assess changes in trainee behaviour. The analysis took the form of a detailed frequency measurement of behavioural elements of health visitor performance, and a global rating of social competence by independent judges. Results of the analyses indicated that 14 out of the 20 behavioural variables changed in the desired direction. Thus, for example, following training the health visitors used significantly more open questions and verbal encouragers, and significantly fewer multiple questions and interruptions when communicating with the client. They were also rated significantly higher on the rating scale for social competence following training. These findings would seem to suggest that the training programme had a considerable degree of success. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for development of health visitors' social skills, the need for more sophisticated measures of social behaviour and for the formulation of a model of competent professional practice in this area.

Self‐reported changes in clinical behaviour by undergraduate dental students after video‐based teaching in paediatric dentistry

“…Our study shows that these mechanisms also work on the academic level as students reported a high rate of change concerning their communication patterns, thus confirming and extending the results of previous studies (11,12). Similar results stressing especially verbal communication skills have been found by Crute et al (18). The high relevance of video for treating patients with fear and pain can be explained by the fact that video offers role models for practice and by getting feedback from peers and tutors on performances (17).…”

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Communication Interventions for Health Care Providers Caring for Patients in Residential Care Settings

“…Clinically, such evaluations fall short of providing specific information to guide practice (Sidani & Braden 1998). This view has been supported by others who state that current training in communication skills is inadequate to address the HCPs' and residents' needs, and that a greater range of communication skills should be provided within a coherent theoretical framework (Crute et al 1989; Gijbels 1993; Heaven & Maguire 1996), where various components of the intervention are clearly articulated.…”

Nurses’ communication skills: an evaluation of the impact of solution‐focused communication training

“…Fielding and Llewelyn (1979) criticized the content of many communications skills training programmes on the grounds that they failed to provide a theoretical framework that was applicable to all areas of nursing. This view has been echoed more recently by others who argue that current approaches to communication skills training are inadequate and that such training should provide a greater range of skills within a coherent theoretical framework (Crute et al 1989, Gijbels 1993, Heaven & Maguire 1996. In the following section, the relevance of brief focused approaches to communication skills education is considered, with reference to effectiveness and`trainability'.…”