Simulation-Based Training in Brain Death Determination Incorporating Family Discussion.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Good medical care relies on communication as much as technical expertise, yet physicians often overestimate the efficacy of their patient communication skills. Teaching communication skills can be cost- and time-intensive, and efforts have rarely focused on challenging situations, such as conveying the news of a patient's brain death to a family member.

Objective

We developed a resource-sensitive simulation program to teach residents how to diagnose brain death and how to show empathy in discussing the diagnosis with the patient's family.

Methods

From 2015 to 2017, 3 cohorts of incoming neurology residents participated in the 3-day training exercise. The 2-hour preintervention assessment involved making the diagnosis of brain death and sharing the news with

SUBMITTER: Douglas P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6194878 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature