Purpose: To
evaluate the change in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) resident’s self-confidence
in delivering serious news after a communication simulation workshop.
Background: Although OB/GYN residents regularly disclose serious news to patients,
formal training on best communication practices is lacking. Using the VitalTalk
framework, we developed and evaluated a workshop for delivering serious news in
OB/GYN.
Methods: OB/GYN residents attended a 3-hour small group workshop, with didactic and
drills (1 hour) followed by practice delivering serious news with simulated
patients (2 hours). Change in self-confidence pre- and post-workshop was
measured using a 5-point Likert scale (1 is lowest, 5 is highest) and was
compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test (alpha = 0.05).
Results: Twenty-five residents completed the training. Residents agreed that delivering serious news
requires a discrete set of skills (89%) and is a procedure all residents should
learn (96%). Following the workshop, residents expressed greater confidence
explaining medical information (p<0.01), identifying and responding to
emotion cues (p<0.01), delivering serious news (p<0.001), and teaching
learners about how to facilitate delivering serious news (p<0.001).
Residents felt that it taught them skills they plan to use (96%), that
simulated practice prepared them better than clinical experience alone (92%),
that observing other residents improved their own communication skills (80%)
and that they would recommend the workshop (96%).
Discussions: This
workshop was well received and associated with improvement in self-confidence
in delivering serious news. Longer-term observation is needed to see if this
confidence persists and translates into improved patient care.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2018, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Osteopathic Faculty, Residency Director, Patient Care, Professionalism, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, Practice-Based Learning & Improvement, GME, CME, UME, Simulation, Standardized Patient, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, General Ob-Gyn,
Emily Fay, MD
