Dataset Information

Developing and pilot testing a frailty-focused education and communication training workshop

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To describe development and pilot testing of a multi-modal frailty-focused education and communication training workshop for health care clinicians.

Methods

Pilot testing was conducted via two workshops (#1:face-to-face [2019], #2:virtual [2020]). Participants: convenience sample of clinicians and students who volunteered. Workshop #1 included registered nurses working in an acute care and one medical student (N=14); #2: nursing students enrolled in an APRN program. Design: Pre/post observational study. Data analysis: descriptive statistics, paired t-tests and Wilcoxon rank test.

Results

Statistically significant increases in frailty knowledge (#1: p = 0.02, d = 0.44; #2: p = 0.006, d = 0.55) and self-reported competency with older adult interactions (#1: p < 0.001, d = 0.62; #2: p = 0.001, d = 0.63) were reported for both workshops. Post course evaluations of the workshop were positive, with scores ranging from 3.5–3.9 (range: 0–4) for increased understanding of the concept of frailty, communication to support health-related behavior, and best practice empathic communication skills.

Conclusion

The FCOM workshop was successful. Participants gained knowledge and skills for use in working with older adults across the aging continuum from non-frail to frail.

Innovation

Our FCOM training workshop expands prior communication training on shared decision-making with frail individuals to a broader population of all older adults. Highlights • Resources are needed to facilitate communication about aging and the concept of frailty.• We designed and tested a 2-day training workshop on frailty-focused communication.• Our workshop equips clinicians with a deeper understanding of the biology of aging and communication skills• Pilot testing resulted in increased knowledge about frailty and self-reported competency in communication.• Transition of the FCOM workshop to an online platform is warranted.

SUBMITTER: Miller S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10194190 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:The lack of knowledge of advance care planning and training of communication skills among nurses in Taiwan is one of the main reasons for the low rate of advance directive signing. However, there is no specific and effective solution to this problem. The purposes of this study were (1) to develop and pilot testing of an advance care planning simulation-based communication training program and (2) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the program. This study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1: Developing an advance care planning simulation-based communication training program; Phase 2: Conducting a pilot test; Phase 3: Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of the program. Twelve convenient participants from a medical center in central Taiwan were selected. The participants believed that team-based learning was beneficial for several reasons. First, it helped to clarify the participants' understanding of advance care planning and improve their communication skills. Second, role-playing, as one of the components, was helpful for discovering their own shortcomings in communication skills while debriefing enabled them to identify their blind spots in the communication process. Finally, the reflection log documented their weekly performance so they were able to reflect upon their weekly performance, improve their performance, and become more confident. All twelve participants signed the consent form and completed the whole training program. The participants were satisfied with the program, affirming that the timing and content of the program were appropriate and that the expected learning outcomes could be achieved. According to participant feedback, the program was beneficial in improving their knowledge of advance care planning and confidence in communication. Thus, it is feasible and acceptable to introduce communication of advance care planning programs into the staff training protocols of healthcare organizations. Clinical trial registration: NCT04312295.

Project description:Background/aimsOphthalmology is an under-represented specialty in many medical school curriculums resulting in reduced confidence in medical students and clinicians when dealing with eye conditions. Our study evaluates the impact of a simulation-based education (SBE) workshop to train medical students in ophthalmology.MethodsSecond-year medical students were invited to participate in a two-day (eight-hour) simulation-based ophthalmology workshop. Standardised patients, free-to-use simulators, and low-cost eye models were used to teach eye anatomy, physiology, pathologies, skills (slit-lamp, ophthalmoscopy etc.), and eye procedures (cataract surgery, eye lasers etc.). Learners filled questionnaires to evaluate their ophthalmology interest, confidence, and knowledge before the workshop, immediately after the workshop, and three months later. They also answered a feedback survey on the workshop's quality and usefulness immediately after the workshop.ResultsNine students, including six females and three males, participated in the workshop. Pre-workshop, learners' mean self-reported confidence in dealing with ophthalmology patients was 1.8/5 and mean self-reported interest in pursuing an ophthalmology residency was 2.6/5 on a Likert-scale-based questionnaire (on a scale of 1-5). Learners scored a mean of 8.4/15 on an ophthalmology knowledge questionnaire with fifteen questions. Post-workshop (immediate), their mean self-reported confidence was 3.4/5 (p = 0.0001), interest in pursuing an ophthalmology residency was 3.2/5 (p = 0.022), and score on the ophthalmology questionnaire was 13/15 (p = 0.0001). Three months later, students' self-reported mean confidence was 3.2/5 (p = 0.0001), the likelihood of choosing ophthalmology residency was 2.8/5 (p = 0.59), and score on the ophthalmology knowledge questionnaire was 11/15 (p = 0.006). The feedback survey showed that all students found the workshop relevant, comprehensive, easy to understand, and that they gained knowledge/skills applicable to their future clinical practice.ConclusionsA small group SBE ophthalmology workshop improves learners' knowledge, skills, and confidence using an approach they find interesting, with low cost and time investment.Trial registrationNot applicable.

Project description:Objective: The objective of this article is a description of the longitudinal communication curriculum in the Model Medicine Curriculum (MSM) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The authors describe the planning and integration of the curriculum into the study program, outline how communicative competence is taught and evaluated in the MSM, and identify which challenges need to be mastered in the process. Project description: Starting with the introduction of the MSM in 2010, students have been spending 102 class hours, spread out over seven semesters, practicing social and communicative competences in the interactive small group format "Communication, Interaction & Teamwork (KIT)". The course contents are closely linked to the topics covered each semester and increase in complexity over the course of their studies. The contents are selected by the KIT planning group whose members continually check the curriculum's timeliness and determine any changes. Students as well as instructors have opportunities for evaluating KIT throughout, and their evaluations are taken into consideration as KIT continues to be updated. Instructors from different disciplines teach KIT courses. They participate in mandatory didactic trainings that prepare them to teach KIT. During their 4th and 9th semesters, respectively, students take summative exams that test their communicative competence. Results: According to the semester evaluations by students and instructors, students participating in KIT improved their conversation management skills (students: M=2.2, SD=1.1, instructors: M=1.9, SD=0.7, on a scale of 1-5). In addition, students and graduates rate KIT to be (very) relevant, consider the degree to which it is taught in the MSM to be (very) high, and consider KIT to be a meaningful part of the curriculum. Students taking the summative exams in their 4th and 9th semesters achieve a mean score of 75.9%, respectively 76.9%, in the purely communicative stations and 82.6%, respectively 83.3%, in the global evaluation of communicative competence in clinical-practical stations. Discussion: Survey and exam results alike indicate that the communication training is well accepted by students and instructors and that the training led to an improvement in general and specific communicative skills. Due to a lack of control groups or a pre-post design, it has thus far not been possible to unequivocally demonstrate a causal relationship between communicative competence trainings and good test results. Quality control measures, such as trainings for instructors and regular course evaluations, have been designed to address any challenges in the implementation of the communication curriculum at the faculty level. Conclusion: Building on the experience with the Charité's Reformed Medical Curriculum, a longitudinal, competence-based communication curriculum was integrated into the MSM's overall curriculum. This measure remedied a gap in the medical training that many graduates of regular study programs had previously bemoaned (Jansen 2010 [1]).

Project description:BackgroundImprovement of maternal morbidity and mortality indicators remains a major challenge for developing countries. Antenatal care is one of the key strategies in maintaining safe motherhood. The objective of this study was to develop and pretest a culturally relevant Antenatal Care Handbook (ANC handbook) utilizing the principles of information, education, and communication (IEC). We developed the ANC handbook after an extensive review of existing literature, available instruments (for keeping track of pregnancy and informing pregnant women), and seeking expert opinion. To pretest the ANC handbook, a cross-sectional approach was adopted, and information was collected from 300 expectant women, 150 women each from the community and from the health facility arm. Trained field workers conducted the pretesting from May 2004 to June 2004. Feedback on messages for pregnant mothers contained in the handbook was also assessed. At the same time, the ANC handbook was reviewed by 25 health care providers (including community health workers, physicians, nurses, and other health staff working at various kinds of health care facilities). Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods.FindingsTwenty-three percent of the interviewed women were primigravida, 50% were multigravida and 27% were grandmultipara. The mean age of the women in the community sample was 25.8 SD: 4.9 years and in the hospital sample it was 25.7 SD: 5.2 years. No significant differences were observed between women interviewed at community or health facilities related to their understanding of ANC messages, and the majority of messages were well understood. Similarly, health care providers found all of the instruments useful and workable in the health system. Finally, feedback from pregnant women and health care staff regarding different components of the handbook were incorporated and later verified by them.ConclusionsFindings of pretesting reveal that a majority of pregnant women have an understanding of the culturally relevant ANC handbook. The handbook was found to be practical by healthcare paraprofessionals and community workers for use in different tiers of the health care system in Pakistan. The ANC handbook can be applied in the health service sector of Pakistan and can be adopted with relevant cultural modifications by countries with a similar context.