The impact of expert- and peer feedback on communication skills of undergraduate dental students - a single-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial

Improvement of students' communication skills through targeted training and the use of simulated patients in dental education-a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Good communication between patients and practitioners is essential, especially during dental procedures, as these treatments are often associated with increased nervousness and anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate, implement and evaluate a concept for communication skills training by using targeted training in combination with simulation patients in dental education.

METHODS

Students (n = 34) were assigned to four small groups receiving targeted training consisting of two parts. A lecture about the theoretical basics of communication skills and two practical sessions with simulation patients. During this training, one of the students performed the conversation with the patient. Immediately after self-assessment was obtained, the simulation patient, the remaining students and the lecturer provided feedback. Additionally, anonymous surveys were administered to the students at the beginning of the semester, immediately after the training and at the end of the course.

RESULTS

The students rated the learning of communication skills as important for later professional life at all times. After targeted training followed by subsequent use in simulated patients, there was a significant improvement in communication skills (p < 0.001). The number of open-ended questions asked to patients after attending the course significantly increased (p = 0.0245). The communication training was considered useful, especially in small groups.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of targeted training with subsequent use in simulated patients significantly contributed to the students' improvement in communication skills. The concept offers a good opportunity to better prepare students for interaction with patients, both in their studies and in their upcoming professional lives.

Development of an interdisciplinary training program about chronic pain management with a cognitive behavioural approach for healthcare professionals: part of a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study

BACKGROUND

Many applied postgraduate pain training programs are monodisciplinary, whereas interdisciplinary training programs potentially improve interdisciplinary collaboration, which is favourable for managing patients with chronic pain. However, limited research exists on the development and impact of interdisciplinary training programs, particularly in the context of chronic pain.

METHODS

This study aimed to describe the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary training program regarding the management of patients with chronic pain, which is part of a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study. The targeted groups included medical doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dentists and pharmacists. An interdisciplinary expert panel was organised to provide its perception of the importance of formulated competencies for integrating biopsychosocial pain management with a cognitive behavioural approach into clinical practice. They were also asked to provide their perception of the extent to which healthcare professionals already possess the competencies in their clinical practice. Additionally, the expert panel was asked to formulate the barriers and needs relating to training content and the implementation of biopsychosocial chronic pain management with a cognitive behavioural approach in clinical practice, which was complemented with a literature search. This was used to develop and adapt the training program to the barriers and needs of stakeholders.

RESULTS

The interdisciplinary expert panel considered the competencies as very important. Additionally, they perceived a relatively low level of healthcare professionals' possession of the competencies in their clinical practice. A wide variety of barriers and needs for stakeholders were formulated and organized within the Theoretical Domain Framework linked to the COM-B domains; 'capability', 'opportunity', and 'motivation'. The developed interdisciplinary training program, including two workshops of seven hours each and two e-learning modules, aimed to improve HCP's competencies for integrating biopsychosocial chronic pain management with a cognitive behavioural approach into clinical practice.

CONCLUSION

We designed an interdisciplinary training program, based on formulated barriers regarding the management of patients with chronic pain that can be used as a foundation for developing and enhancing the quality of future training programs.

Evidence-based simulation: Fostering competency through structured and multisource feedback

ABSTRACT

Preclinical simulation is an evidence-based method for nurse practitioner (NP) students to improve clinical communication and disease management competency. During simulation, students may receive feedback from multiple sources, including standardized patients (SPs), faculty, peers, and themselves. Although evidence supports simulation with multisource feedback, its impact on clinical knowledge and communication has yet to be evaluated among NP students. We designed, implemented, and evaluated a preclinical simulation program with structured multisource feedback integrated into a disease management course within a Doctor of Nursing Practice curriculum. Differences in communication self-efficacy and disease management knowledge before and after participation, as well as perceptions of learning and importance of varying feedback sources, were evaluated using a single group pre-post mixed-methods design. On average, clinical communication self-efficacy was significantly higher, and disease management knowledge scores were significantly higher after participation. Learners rated feedback sources as important or very important and described varying feedback sources as complementary. Feedback from SPs, peers, learners themselves, and faculty was complementary and important to learning. This preclinical simulation program with purposeful integration of multisource feedback provides an evidence-based foundation for scaffolding multidomain competency development into curriculums to meet updated standards of advanced nursing education.

Dental Teacher Feedback and Student Learning: A Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION

Feedback is essential to improve student learning and motivation and to encourage curriculum development by teachers. This study looked at feedback to and from dental students from a qualitative perspective.

METHODS

Dental teachers were recruited exclusively to this study from the membership of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE). Delegates from each of the four annual ADEE conferences were invited to attend focus groups to discuss aspects of feedback. Focus groups established an individual theme for the respective conferences: (i) the role of the teacher in delivering feedback; (ii) feedback from the students' perspective; (iii) changes to feedback due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and (iv) integrating feedback with assessments.

RESULTS

Qualitative data collected from the conference delegates were diverse and thought provoking. Delegates reported different styles of feedback varying from individual, personal feedback to no feedback at all. An enforced and mostly positive adaptation to online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported. A partial return to pre-pandemic practices was described.

CONCLUSIONS

Feedback is well recognized by students and teachers as contributing to learning. A universal approach to delivering feedback as part of the student learning process can be challenging due to a multitude of variables. Many aspects of changes in dental education, teaching, and feedback practices adopted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have been retained post-pandemic, thereby accelerating the anticipated progression to online teaching.

Teacher Feedback and Student Learning-The Students' Perspective

INTRODUCTION

Feedback from teachers to students plays an important role in informing students about the outcome of their assessments. It contributes to students' ongoing learning. The aim of this study was to investigate dental students' perceptions of the feedback given to them by their teachers in Europe.

MATERIALS & METHODS

An online questionnaire was completed by dental students throughout Europe in this quantitative study. Data were collected via Google Forms, transferred to an excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS software Version 24.

RESULTS

234 students studying in 9 different European countries completed the questionnaire. These students were born in 36 different countries within and beyond Europe. 84% (n=197) were undergraduate students. 20.3% (n=48) students reported receiving feedback following summative assessments. 81.2% (n=190) students reported constructive criticism as their preferred mode of receiving feedback. 11.3% (n=26) students did not know who delivered the feedback to them. 71% (n=166) students felt that the feedback they received had a significant impact on their future learning.

CONCLUSION

It would appear that there is some diversity in dental students' perceptions of: i) who delivers feedback, ii) when feedback is given, iii) the consistency of feedback received, and iv) the style of feedback they preferred compared to that delivered by tutors. Feedback is being provided to dental students in an appropriate and helpful manner, although there is still room for improvement. Students were aware of the significance of feedback and its impact on future learning.

Effectiveness of a Mobile Technology-Supported Self-Reflective Course in Communication Behaviors for Outpatient Nurses

Background Communication is a core competency for outpatient nurses. This study investigated the effectiveness of a mobile technology-supported self-reflective (MTS) course in communication behaviors among outpatient nurses. Method This quasi-experimental study used a convenience sample of 78 outpatient nurses (experimental group = 39; control group = 39). The experimental group completed the MTS communication course. Communication behaviors were evaluated before, 1 week after, and 1 month after the course. Results There was no significant difference in communication behaviors between the groups before the intervention. One week after the intervention, communication behavior scores significantly increased in both groups without significant between-group differences (p > .05). One month after the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly higher communication behavior scores (p < .05). Both groups demonstrated high learning satisfaction. Conclusion The MTS communication course was successful in promoting effective outpatient nurse-patient communication. Health care facilities may want to incorporate the MTS course into their orientation program. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2022;53(6):279-288.].

Effectiveness and quality of peer video feedback in health professions education: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of peer video feedback (PVF) on healthcare students' reactions and learning outcomes against other feedback methods (e.g., expert- or self-video feedback). It also synthesized the characteristics of PVF within health professions education to identify its effective elements.

DATA SOURCES

Seven databases were systematically searched to identify relevant studies, including CENTRAL, CINAHL, ERIC, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus.

REVIEW METHODS

This review was conducted based on the PRISMA Statement Guidelines. Reviewers independently extracted data from the included articles and assessed the risk of bias and quality of the studies. The effectiveness of PVF on students' reactions, learning, and quality of peer feedback was summarized.

RESULTS

A total of 22 articles were included. Results showed PVF was a helpful learning tool, and students were satisfied with its overall learning experience. PVF demonstrated its positive effect on skill-based learning. The top concern was its quality (accuracy and content), ascribing to peers' limited knowledge, expertise, or feedback experience.

CONCLUSIONS

This review affirmed the potential effect of PVF on skill-based learning but revealed students' ambivalent feelings towards its quality. Six effective elements were proposed for its best practice. Future studies are needed to investigate further these proposed elements and how they mediate the educational effects of PVF.

A video- and feedback-based approach to teaching communication skills in undergraduate clinical dental education: The student perspective

OBJECTIVE

Student evaluation of a communication-education programme that combined patient consultation videos with peer- or expert-based feedback.

METHODS

A self-perception questionnaire was given to undergraduate dental students who had undertaken a curricular communication training and feedback programme, in which each participant was videoed three times during a patient interview or consultation, subsequently receiving either peer (PG) or expert feedback (EG). The questionnaire used feedback programme content to evaluate student perspectives, ascertaining whether the students experienced a gain in knowledge and professional conversational skills, whether videos or feedback helped them improve more and general questions about the structure and content of the curriculum. Differences between feedback groups were analysed (Mann-Whitney U test).

RESULTS

45 participants (peer group: n = 23, expert group: n = 22) took part in the study. The peer group experienced watching their video (38%) and receiving feedback (33%) as their major beneficial aspect to improve communication skills (watching fellow student´s video: 17%, providing feedback: 12%). The expert group experienced the major effect in receiving expert feedback (73%, video watching: 27%). The students said that communication skills should be a core competency in dental education learning outcomes (PG: 4.48 ± 0.67, EG: 4.41 ± 0.67; P > 0.05) and that communication curricula should include video-based feedback (PG: 3.91 ± 0.73, EG: 4.00 ± 0.93; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Watching videos and both receiving and providing peer group feedback were experienced as helpful in improving students' communication skills. These findings suggest that a longitudinal communication curriculum, which includes both video-based peer feedback and correlated self-reflection, is a promising learning approach for dental education.

Teaching pediatric behavior management in student dentists with constructive video feedback from faculty

PURPOSE

The range of child behaviors encountered in real-life situations far exceeds that of any classroom-based simulated scenarios. For such reasons, clinical training with real-time clinical supervisor's feedback is optimal for learner-centricity. This study aimed to objectively evaluate the effect of video feedback on the student dentist's ability to manage behaviors in children.

METHODS

Third-year dental student volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups: control and intervention. They were video recorded for three pediatric dental treatment sessions and received standard feedback for all sessions. Additionally, the intervention group received two constructive 1-on-1 feedback sessions after the first and second video sessions. Students' application of behavior management techniques for all recorded treatment sessions was scored with a study-specific objective scale (maximum score: 20; larger score indicating better performance) by two independent and blinded evaluators. A self-administered student questionnaire elicited subjective feedback on the intervention.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference (p = 0.008) between behavior management scores when comparing all pre-intervention sessions (10.74 ± 3.55) and all post-intervention sessions (13.57 ± 2.96). The intervention significantly improved these techniques: 1. Providing specific feedback - positive reinforcement and descriptive praise (p = 0.006) and 2. Distraction - Using imagination with stories and singing (p = 0.035). The feedback sessions (4.29 ± 0.54) were perceived to be significantly (p = 0.032) more effective than having the students view the videos on their own (3.76 ± 0.87).

CONCLUSION

Video feedback improved the behavior management scores of student dentists. The faculty feedback sessions were found by student dentists to improve confidence and the techniques for managing children.

The effect of peer modelling and discussing modelled feedback principles on medical students' feedback skills: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Teaching is an important professional skill for physicians and providing feedback is an important part of teaching. Medical students can practice their feedback skills by giving each other peer feedback. Therefore, we developed a peer feedback training in which students observed a peer that modelled the use of good feedback principles. Students then elaborated on the modelled feedback principles through peer discussion. This combination of peer modelling and discussing the modelled feedback principles was expected to enhance emulation of the feedback principles compared to (1) only peer modelling and (2) discussing the feedback principles without previous modelling.

METHODS

In a quasi-experimental study design, 141 medical students were assigned randomly to three training conditions: peer modelling plus discussion (MD), non-peer modelled example (NM) or peer modelling without discussion (M). Before and after the training, they commented on papers written by peers. These comments served as a pre- and a post-measure of peer feedback. The comments were coded into different functions and aspects of the peer feedback. Non-parametrical Kruskall-Wallis tests were used to check for pre- and post-measure between-group differences in the functions and aspects.

RESULTS

Before the training, there were no significant between-group differences in feedback functions and aspects. After the training, the MD-condition gave significantly more positive peer feedback than the NM-condition. However, no other functions or aspects were significantly different between the three conditions, mainly because the within-group interquartile ranges were large.

CONCLUSIONS

The large interquartile ranges suggest that students differed substantially in the effort placed into giving peer feedback. Therefore, additional incentives may be needed to motivate students to give good feedback. Teachers could emphasise the utility value of peer feedback as an important professional skill and the importance of academic altruism and professional accountability in the peer feedback process. Such incentives may convince more students to put more effort into giving peer feedback.

Impact of simulated patients on students' self-assessment of competency in practice of geriatric dentistry

PURPOSE

The evaluation of the effectiveness of simulation training in dentistry has previously been focused primarily on psychomotor hand skills. This study explored the impact of simulated patient (SP) encounters in simulation on students' self-assessment of competency in their clinical and communication abilities with geriatric patients.

METHODS

Students from 2 cohorts were recruited for this study. Cohort 1 (n = 30) participated in the standard curriculum with no simulation training and served as the control group. Cohort 2 (n = 34) participated in a SP experience, simulating the initial stages of a care visit for 2 nursing home patients. Students' perceptions of competency to perform these clinical and communication tasks were assessed. A group debriefing session was held 5 weeks post-simulation where Cohort 2 completed a student feedback form.

RESULTS

A statistically significant change (P < 0.00001) was noted for both cohorts in their self-reported competence to perform clinical tasks following exposure to an independent clinical experience. In addition to this gain, individuals in Cohort 2 demonstrated improvements following simulation and expressed different responses of impact to questions related to treatment, pharmacology, and managing a complex medical history.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that simulation of patient interactions using SPs can strengthen students' self-assessment of competency in their abilities, leading to more genuine interactions with actual patients. These findings will help inform the design of future SP encounters as a component of an evolving humanistic curriculum.

Teaching and Assessment of Dentist-Patient Communication Skills: A Systematic Review to Identify Best-Evidence Methods

Dentist-patient communication skills are important aspects of contemporary oral health care, as shared decision making with patients becomes more common. The aim of this systematic review of the literature on teaching and assessment methodologies for communication skills in dental practice was to categorize those skills most relevant to dental practice and determine the best-evidence teaching and assessment methods. The systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, EBM-Cochrane Libraries, Embase, ERIC, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, and PsycINFO using the OVID search engine, together with manually searching relevant journal articles. Relevant data were extracted from all included articles, and thematic analysis, categorization, and quality review of the articles was performed. Fifty articles published between 2000 and 2016 were identified as relevant to this study. Most were comparative design studies. The largest numbers were single group studies with before and after tests and cross-sectional studies. A total of 26 communication skills were identified and grouped into four major categories: generic skills, case-specific skills, time-specific skills, and emerging skills. Review of the teaching methods described in those articles showed that educators used a combination of passive and active strategies. All the assessment measures were considered to be valid and reliable. This categorization of essential dentist-patient communication skills reported in the literature may be used to assist in curriculum design along with use of tested teaching methods and validated assessment measures. The review highlights the need for more robust study designs for research in this important aspect of dental education.

Effect of individual structured and qualified feedback on improving clinical performance of dental students in clinical courses-randomised controlled study

AIM

Analysis of the effect of individual structured and qualified feedback (FB) on practical skills development of dental students during clinical courses.

METHODS

Fifty-three final-year dental students at Jena University Hospital participated in this prospective randomised controlled interventional study. Two calibrated assessors evaluated 128 pre- and post-assessments of 4 different dental treatment steps performed by dental students during the integrated clinical course in restorative dentistry and prosthodontics and the clinical course paediatric dentistry. The assessment included direct observation, graded and non-grading evaluation and was documented with a specific FB assessment tool. Dental students in the intervention group (IG) received an elaborated, structured and qualified FB after the pre-assessment that focussed on individual strengths and weaknesses, providing specific suggestions for improvement and establishing a personal learning goal. Participants were randomly allocated to the IG and the control group (CG).

RESULTS

In both groups, dental students significantly enhanced their performance, but the difference was higher in the IG than in the CG. Large effect sizes (ES) were observed in all observed items, but FB had largest effect size in improving technical skills (ES = 1.6), followed by management (ES = 1.3) and communication skills (ES = 0.8). Factors with the highest influence on FB in enhancing dental students' clinical performance were their insight into their own mistakes or omissions, the observed dental treatment step and the duration of FB.

CONCLUSION

Individual structured and qualified FB is an effective method to enhance dental students' professional performances and to individually guide the learning process.