Communication is one of the most important tools to improve patient experience, nurture patient satisfaction and reduce the risk of medical errors. Dealing with real life patients for the first time is an overwhelming experience in itself and initiating a conversation with them almost always makes novice trainees uncomfortable. Achieving therapeutic outcomes through communication at first is an impossible task. CIME in collaboration with School of Nursing and Midwifery has developed a course entitled “Introduction of therapeutic communication skills and hands-on practice” for nursing year 1 students to enhance their clinical competency before they start their clinical practice.
This course includes two modules: Therapeutic communication skills & clinical skills hands-on practice. For therapeutic communication simulated patients (SPs) were used. These individuals from our SP Bank of over 100 individuals, were briefed and supported to demonstrate attributes according to the cases they represented. Students then had to communicate with the ‘patient’: the reality was superb and it allowed students to attempt different approaches to initiating conversation and using communication tools such as closed questions and techniques such as ‘probing’, in psychological safety. Such scenarios helped achieve the aims of the session, which were to
• Communicate with patients in a manner consistent with ethical and culturally sensitive behaviour.
• Apply therapeutic communication techniques while taking interview.
Communication is one of the most important tools to improve patient experience, nurture patient satisfaction and reduce the risk of medical errors. Dealing with real life patients for the first time is an overwhelming experience in itself and initiating a conversation with them almost always makes novice trainees uncomfortable. Achieving therapeutic outcomes through communication at first is an impossible task. CIME in collaboration with School of Nursing and Midwifery has developed a course entitled “Introduction of therapeutic communication skills and hands-on practice” for nursing year 1 students to enhance their clinical competency before they start their clinical practice.
This course includes two modules: Therapeutic communication skills & clinical skills hands-on practice. For therapeutic communication simulated patients (SPs) were used. These individuals from our SP Bank of over 100 individuals, were briefed and supported to demonstrate attributes according to the cases they represented. Students then had to communicate with the ‘patient’: the reality was superb and it allowed students to attempt different approaches to initiating conversation and using communication tools such as closed questions and techniques such as ‘probing’, in psychological safety. Such scenarios helped achieve the aims of the session, which were to
• Communicate with patients in a manner consistent with ethical and culturally sensitive behaviour.
• Apply therapeutic communication techniques while taking interview.