A standardized patient model to teach and assess professionalism and communication skills: the effect of personality type on performance

The Enneagram and its application in medical education

Personality testing has become increasingly popular in healthcare with multiple modalities and implementations. Although personality testing has been utilized to inform various facets of graduate medical education, little is known about how the Enneagram can be utilized throughout postgraduate training. This narrative review explores the use of personality testing in graduate medical education, how personality testing has been used in the workplace, what research is available showing its use in medical residencies, and the need for additional studies on the Enneagram's use in these areas. We conclude the Enneagram may serve as a valuable tool that can be used in postgraduate medical education to improve learning, interpersonal relationships, and teaming.

Improving Code Status Documentation Rates Using Communication Skills Training in Vascular Surgery: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Introduction: Code status discussions are poorly understood by patients and variably performed by admitting providers, yet they are used as a quality metric. Surgical specialties, such as Vascular Surgery, admit patients with urgent and life-threatening illness. Surgical trainees are less likely to receive communication skills interventions when compared with nonsurgical specialties. Without a documented code status, nurses and physicians lack guidance on patient preference in the case of cardiopulmonary arrest and may deliver unwanted measures, which may also result in poor outcomes. Methods: We conducted a before-after Plan-Do-Study-Act quality improvement project between May 2018 and May 2019. A needs assessment included baseline code status documentation rates for the Vascular Surgery department admissions. A communication skills training (CST) and documentation intervention was provided to all Vascular Surgery trainees and advance practice providers (APPs). Departmental e-mails were sent over the 12-month intervention period, which demonstrated the code status documentation rates and served as reminders to document code status. Results: A total of 29 vascular surgery trainees and APPs received the intervention. At completion of the intervention, learners reported increased comfort initiating a code status discussion, making a recommendation for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) status, and having a strategy to discuss code status. A total of 2762 patient admissions were reviewed, with 1562 patient admissions occurring during the 12-month intervention period. The average code status documentation rate for the three months before the intervention was 7.8%. At the end of the 12-month intervention, documentation rates were 44.9% and 6 months after completion of the study period, average rates remained 45.2%. There was no change in admission rates during the study period. Discussion: CST and regular reminders increased vascular surgery residents' and APPs' comfort in engaging in code status discussions. After intervention, documentation of code status discussions increased with persistence up to six months after the intervention.

Pilot study to identify attributes of professionalism in sonography

INTRODUCTION

While a list of competency standards exists for sonographers, the profession does not have a specific statement concerning professionalism. What constitutes professionalism within sonography is important and needs to be considered from the perspective of all stakeholders. This paper reports the results of the first two exploratory phases of a larger study investigating professionalism in sonography.

METHODS

Phase 1 involved interviews with experienced and early-career sonographers to identify attributes of professionalism within the context of sonography. Attributes identified in phase 1 were used to frame survey questions for phase 2. In phase 2, sonography patients were asked to rate the attributes using Likert-type responses, and to provide additional comments at the end of each category. Patients had the opportunity to add attributes not mentioned in the survey.

RESULTS

Content analysis of Phase 1 interview data identified 27 professional attributes organised into seven categories. Phase 2 results indicated that only a few attributes were rated as not important or not applicable by patients. Highest-rating attributes by patients included verbal communication, patient privacy, trust, behaviour, empathy, and respect. Attributes that were not rated as highly included rapport, physical presentation, dedication to learning and improving oneself, personality, and role model.

CONCLUSION

Due to the complexities around a clear definition of professionalism within the context of sonography, this study has highlighted the need for a comprehensive list of attributes to identify what professionalism in sonography means.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Having a clear understanding of the concept of professionalism within the context of sonography will provide a guide for sonographers and sonography students, and enable academic and on-site clinical trainers to explicitly teach what professionalism looks like and feels like in sonography practice.

Training and Validation of Incognito Standardized Patients for Assessing Oncology Fellows’ Performance Regarding Breaking Bad News

Background: Standardized patient (SP) has been applied to measure learner’s communication challenges such as breaking bad news (BBN). When utilizing SP-based assessment, 2 steps should be considered in SP training; assessing SPs portrayal as the real patient (authenticity) and how SPs checklist fill out reproducibility. Objectives: In this study, we described the process of training authentic and consistent SPs for evaluating oncology fellows’ performance regarding BBN in Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 8 eligible SPs took part in a 3-day educational meeting. Four different scenarios were developed regarding cancer patients along with corresponding checklists representing common presentations of illness. The accuracy of SPs portrayal was evaluated by experts, using a previously validated rating scale during observation of their role-playing. The reproducibility of SPs’ portraits was measured, using a test-retest approach. The inter-rater agreement of the SPs’ ability to fill out the BBN scale was measured by comparing the correlation between the SPs, who completed the scale, and oncologist faculty members’ judgments, which is considered a gold standard. Results: The findings of this study indicated that the cut-off score for the SPs’ portrayal validity was 95%. The reliability of SPs portrayal was acceptable (r = 0.89). The inter-rater agreement between SPs and experts in filling the BBN scale (k = 0.82), as well as, the consistency of filling the BBN scale between SP groups were highly acceptable (k = 0.86). Conclusions: The present study has demonstrated that if SP is trained appropriately, they shave a high degree of reliability and validity to assess oncology fellows’ performance regarding BBN skills.

Training Surgical Residents to Communicate with Their Patients: A Scoping Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

Effective communication is critical in surgical practice and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education requires a focus on interpersonal and communication skills. Absent a national communication skills curriculum for surgical residents, individual programs have designed and implemented their own curricula. This scoping review explores communication training in North American surgical residency programs.

DESIGN

The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, and included articles identified through searches of 6 publication databases conducted on June 25, 2019 and updated on April 2, 2020. Eligible studies described patient or family communication skills education for surgical residents in North America. Published abstracts were excluded. Article abstracts were screened by 2 reviewers. For articles meeting criteria, data on study setting, participants, curriculum design, educational techniques, and skills focus were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 2724 articles were identified after removing duplicates; 84 articles were reviewed in full text. Thirty-three met study criteria including 4 from 2006 to 2009 and 29 after 2010. The most common skills education focused on breaking bad news, followed by a range of topics, such as empathy, end of life and/or palliative care discussions, medical error disclosure, shared decision making, and informed consent. Some of the training was part of larger curriculum including team training or professionalism. Over half of the studies involved general surgery learners. The most common form of education included didactics followed by practice with peers or simulated patients. Only half of the programs described curricula involving multiple training sessions which is important for ongoing development and skill reinforcement.

CONCLUSIONS

Effective communication skills are important, necessary, and increasingly incorporated into surgical training programs. While the literature is expanding, few surgical residency programs have described communication curricula. This review serves as a guide for programs interested in developing their own communication curricula for surgical residents.

Mixed-Method Evaluation of a Cadaver Dissection Course for General Surgery Interns: An Innovative Approach for Filling the Gap Between Gross Anatomy and the Operating Room

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate an innovative whole cadaver dissection curriculum designed to focus on teaching procedure-relevant anatomy and surgical skills to surgery interns.

DESIGN

A mixed methods explanatory sequential design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative evaluations was used to evaluate the cadaver dissection course. Quantitative data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed in order to compare anatomy knowledge and operative skills before and after the course. In the qualitative phase, open-ended telephone interviews were conducted in order to explore the major strengths and weaknesses of the course and gain a more in-depth understanding of resident perceptions and attitudes toward the course.

SETTING

All UCLA categorical surgery interns who have undergone the cadaver dissection curriculum between the years 2010 to 2016 were recruited for evaluation and interview.

PARTICIPANTS

From 2010 to 2016, 6 to 7 categorical surgery interns were enrolled in the cadaver dissection course each year.

RESULTS

Anatomy practical examination scores increased following implementation of the course from 50.5% to 83.5% (p < 0.01). Faculty ratings of operative skills improved as well (average Likert scale rating for technical skills improved from 4.1 ± 0.4 to 4.4 ± 0.3, p = 0.06). Almost all interviewees (96%) reported that the course improved their knowledge of anatomy, and 78% of respondents believed the course was conducive to improving technical skills.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that cadaver dissection courses offer a superior educational model for teaching clinically relevant anatomy as well as surgical skills. We found improvements in anatomy knowledge and technical skills, and trainees expressed strongly favorable views of the program.

Breaking Bad News: An Evidence-Based Review of Communication Models for Oncology Nurses

BACKGROUND

A diagnosis of cancer is a stressful, difficult, and life-altering event. Breaking bad news is distressing to patients and families and is often uncomfortable for the nurse delivering it. Evidence-based communication models have been developed and adapted for use in clinical practice to assist nurses with breaking bad news.

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OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview on breaking bad news and to review the utility of the SPIKES and PEWTER evidence-based communication models for oncology nurses.
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METHODS

Perceptions of breaking bad news from the nurse and patient perspectives, as well as barriers and consequences to effective communication, will be presented. Clinical examples of possible situations of breaking bad news will demonstrate how to use the SPIKES and PEWTER models of communication when disclosing bad news to patients and their families.
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FINDINGS

By using the evidence-based communication strategies depicted in this article, oncology nurses can support the delivery of bad news and maintain communication with their patients and their patients' families in an effective and productive manner.

An Informed Consent Program Enhances Surgery Resident Education

OBJECTIVE

First-year residents often obtain informed consent from patients. However, they typically receive no formal training in this area before residency. We wished to determine whether an educational program would improve residents' comfort with this process.

DESIGN

Our institution created an informed consent educational program, which included a didactic component, a role-play about informed consent, and a simulation exercise using standardized patients. Residents completed surveys before and after the intervention, and responses to survey questions were compared using the signed-rank test.

SETTING

This study took place at Temple University Hospital, a tertiary care institution in Philadelphia, PA.

PARTICIPANTS

First-year surgery and emergency medicine residents at Temple University Hospital in 2014 participated in this study. Thirty-two residents completed the preintervention survey and 27 residents completed the educational program and postintervention survey.

RESULTS

Only 37.5% had ever received formal training in informed consent before residency. After participating in the educational program, residents were significantly more confident that they could correctly describe the process of informed consent, properly fill out a procedure consent form, and properly obtain informed consent from a patient. Their comfort level in obtaining informed consent significantly increased. They found the educational program to be very effective in improving their knowledge and comfort level in obtaining informed consent. In all, 100% (N = 27) of residents said they would recommend the use of the program with other first-year residents.

CONCLUSIONS

Residents became more confident in their ability to obtain informed consent after participating in an educational program that included didactic, role-play, and patient simulation elements.

Communication skills in candidates for accreditation in rheumatology are correlated with candidate's performance in the objective structured clinical examination

BACKGROUND

The Mexican Accreditation Council for Rheumatology annually certifies trainees in Rheumatology using a multiple-choice test and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Since 2015, candidate's communication skills (CS) have been rated by both patients and by physician examiners and correlated with results on the OSCE. This study compared the CS from candidates to annual accreditation in Rheumatology as rated by patients and by physician examiners, and assessed whether these correlated with candidate's performance in the OSCE.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From 2015 to 2017, 8areas of CS were evaluated using a Likert scale, in each OSCE station that involved a patient. Both patient and physician evaluators were trained annually and their evaluations were performed blindly. The associations were calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

In general, candidates were given high CS scores; the scores from patients of the candidate's CS were better than those of physician examiners; within the majority of the stations, both scores were found to correlate moderately. In addition, the scoring of CS correlated with trainee performance at the corresponding OSCE station. Interestingly, better correlations were found when the skills were rated by the patients compared to physician scores. The average CS score was correlated with the overall OSCE performance for each trainee, but not with the multiple-choice test, except in the 2017 accreditation process, when a weak correlation was found.

CONCLUSIONS

CS assessed during a national accreditation process correlated with the candidate's performance at the station level and with the overall OSCE.

The Standardized Professional Encounter: A New Model to Assess Professionalism and Communication Skills

BACKGROUND

Physician-patient communication is vital to patient care, and physician-nurse interactions are equally critical. Conflict between nurses and physicians can greatly impair communication, increasing the risk of treatment errors, yet physicians receive little education during training on recognizing and resolving professional conflicts.

INNOVATION

We created and implemented the Standardized Professional (S-Pro) Encounter to improve training and provide opportunities to evaluate resident professionalism and communication with health care team colleagues.

METHODS

The standardized patient model is well established for teaching and assessing clinical and communication skills. Using the standardized patient concept, we created a nurse-resident encounter with 2 professionally trained medical portrayers (1 "nurse," 1 "patient"), in which the nurse disagrees with the resident's treatment plan. Residents were surveyed for prior experience with nurse-physician conflict management, and we assessed postencounter for collaborative skills and conflict resolution.

RESULTS

All residents (n=18) observed at least 1 physician-nurse conflict in front of patients. Eleven (61%) reported being involved in at least 1 conflict. Twelve residents (67%) had 2 or fewer prior education experiences in interprofessional conflict management. Faculty assessment and S-Pro scores demonstrated high agreement, while resident self-assessment scores demonstrated low agreement with faculty and S-Pro scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants and evaluators found the encounter to be reasonably authentic. There was strong agreement between the faculty and S-Pro assessment of resident performance when using the Boggs scale. The S-Pro Encounter is easily adapted for other clinical situations or training programs, and facilitates the assessment of professionalism and communication skills between residents and other health care professionals.