Patient Communication Simulation Laboratory for Students in an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program

Abstract

Background Effective communication skills for clinical practice are essential for all advanced practice nurses. However, competence in these skills is not necessarily intuitive. Advanced communication skills should be taught in a way that is similar to the way other psychomotor skills in advanced nursing practice programs are taught. Objectives To develop a patient communication simulation laboratory for the acute care nurse practitioner program at a major university and to evaluate students’ perceived confidence and communication effectiveness before and immediately as well as 4 months after completion of the laboratory. Methods The communication simulation laboratory was developed in collaboration with faculty from the schools of nursing and medicine. Students participated in a didactic session and then completed a 2-hour communication simulation in the laboratory. Content and simulation concentrated on breaking “bad news,” empathetic communication, motivational interviewing, and the “angry” patient. Students’ self-reported confidence and perceived skill in communication were measured via a Likert scale before, immediately after, and 4 months after completion of the laboratory simulation. Students also evaluated the experience by responding to open-ended questions. Results Compared with baseline findings (before the lecture and simulation), students’ confidence in initiating difficult conversations increased significantly both immediately (P<.001) and 4 months after (P=.001) the laboratory simulation. Students’ self-ratings of overall ability to communicate were also significantly greater immediately (P<.001) and 4 months (P=.001) after the simulation. Overall, students rated the laboratory simulation experience highly beneficial. Conclusions The content and methods used for the simulation improved students’ confidence and perceived skill in communication in potentially difficult acute care situations.

Evaluation of the clinical hour requirement and attainment of core clinical competencies by nurse practitioner students

“…Although ACNP students overlooked at least one treatment intervention in the care of a patient with sepsis, students demonstrated an in‐depth knowledge of the sepsis guidelines and acknowledged the experience would help them provide care for patients with sepsis in the future. The students’ overall positive responses are consistent with the responses of other students participating in simulations (Corbridge et al, 2010; Rosenzweig et al, 2008; Scherer et al, 2007); however, stronger outcome data evaluating the effect on knowledge acquisition and application are required.…”

“…Research evaluating the use of simulation is beginning to emerge in the literature. For example, ACNP students who participated in a simulation lab designed to develop communication skills reported greater confidence when discussing difficult issues with patients and when dealing with hostile patients (Rosenzweig et al, 2008). In another study, simulation was compared with online learning to evaluate knowledge acquisition of mechanical ventilation with students in an ACNP program (Corbridge, Robinson, Tiffen, & Corbridge, 2010).…”

The Impact of a Focused Training on Advanced Practice Nursing Student's Experience with Communicating Difficult News

“…Similarly, a study performed by Rosenzweig et al (2008) addressed the needs of NP students in simulation training. Their research study focused on using a simulation lab skills workshop designed to increase the NP's comfort level and perceived ability to initiate difficult conversations.…”

The use of simulation with advanced practice nursing students

“…The simulation ends with a student paper assignment to integrate assessment findings and planned interventions. The use of a patient communication simulation lab for acute care NP students was found to increase confidence in patient communication skills at the end of the experience (Rosenzweig et al, 2008). The increase in confidence persisted when it was reassessed by student report 4 months after the lab.…”