Consolidation workshops further improve a communication skills training program's efficacy and facilitate the transfer of acquired skills to clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to assess the efficacy of a 40-h training programme designed to teach residents the communication skills needed to break the bad news. METHODS: Residents were randomly assigned to the training programme or to a waiting list. A simulated patient breaking bad news (BBN) consultation was audiotaped at baseline and after training in the training group and 8 months after baseline in the waiting-list group. Transcripts were analysed by tagging the used communication skills with a content analysis software (LaComm) and by tagging the phases of bad news delivery: pre-delivery, delivery and post-delivery. Training effects were tested with generalised estimating equation (GEE) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). RESULTS: The trained residents (n ¼ 50) used effective communication skills more often than the untrained residents (n ¼ 48): more open questions (relative rate (RR) ¼ 5.79; Po0.001), open directive questions (RR ¼ 1.71; P ¼ 0.003) and empathy (RR ¼ 4.50; P ¼ 0.017) and less information transmission (RR ¼ 0.72; P ¼ 0.001). The pre-delivery phase was longer for the trained (1 min 53 s at baseline and 3 min 55 s after training) compared with the untrained residents (2 min 7 s at baseline and 1 min 46 s at second assessment time; Po0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows the efficacy of training programme designed to improve residents' BBN skills. The way residents break bad news may thus be improved.