A Systems Approach to Scaffold Communication Skills Development

Abstract

Objectives. To implement a communication skills development (CSD) system and evaluate its effectiveness in a clinical communications course. Design. Students conducted baseline interviews and wrote SOAP notes, and based on faculty, patient, self-and peer assessments, set goals for improvement of their communication skills. Students participated in various activities to scaffold their learning, several of which took place in a web-based environment to enhance access and function for both students and faculty members. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed. Assessment. Students' communication skills improved as evidenced by assessment scores. Student and faculty comments offered additional evidence of the effectiveness of standardized patient interviews, learning strategies, and assessment methods. Conclusion. The CSD system effectively integrated various types of learning activities and feedback processes. The use of scaffolding strategies appeared to enhance the development of students' communication skills.

Development and Validation of a Rubric to Evaluate Diabetes SOAP Note Writing in APPE

“…To date, studies evaluating student pharmacists' clinical documentation have been conducted only in the early portion of curricula. [4][5][6][8][9] Student pharmacists are expected to have basic skills to effectively document patient care activities when entering advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE), yet a paucity of data exists evaluating the quality of student documentation during direct patient care experiences. Despite these challenges, students perceive the use of grading rubrics to be fair and transparent.…”

Communications Training in Pharmacy Education, 1995-2010

“…No 2 studies in this group used a similar program, however. The activities ranged in complexity from simple online debates, 53 blogging exercises, 46 and peer and faculty feedback, 16 to e-mail communication with virtual patients, 24 to complex multimedia computer-based learning programs. 52 Although computer-based learning programs can be structured in many ways, the particular program described in this study involved a self-learning approach using interactive digital videos, video simulations, and audio clips to teach a diabetes management course.…”

“…21,39 The subcategory of clinical writing skills incorporated all formats specifically directed toward pharmacy practice. These included SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) notes, 16,52 patient care plans 20,71 and written patient medical histories. 30 One study included activities involving writing patient information handout/ pamphlets, 23 1 study involved writing e-mail advice to a virtual patient, 24 and 1 study used a "patient pathography" (medical history from the patient perspective) format.…”

“…There seemed to be subjective and objective American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2013; 77 (2) Article 36. assessments carried out in a variety of learning activities (eg, 6 of the simulated patient articles had subjective assessments 13,14,18,20,21,25 and 7 had both subjective and objective assessments 11,[15][16][17]19,23,24 ). Only 2 studies did not report any type of assessment.…”

“…12,18 The large percentage of studies that reported on this type of educational intervention suggests it is a common method of improving oral interpersonal patient communication skills, specifically those related to interview/consultation techniques, and also provides the opportunity to teach clinical writing skills by requiring students to write a patient medical history, SOAP note, or care plan based on the information gathered in the simulated or standardized patient interaction. 12,16,20,24 Interdisciplinary educational methods are chiefly designed to improve interprofessional communications skills and teamwork, as practicing health professionals are required to share information and coordinate efforts to improve patient care. Interdisciplinary activities reported in the studies reviewed typically involved pharmacy students coordinating and working in groups with students of other health professions, including medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, nutrition, podiatry, psychiatry, dentistry, and medical imaging and technology.…”