Communication skills training for healthcare professionals working with people who have cancer

Abstract

Background This is the third update of a review that was originally published in the Cochrane Library in 2002, Issue 2. People with cancer, their families and carers have a high prevalence of psychological stress, which may be minimised by e ective communication and support from their attending healthcare professionals (HCPs). Research suggests communication skills do not reliably improve with experience, therefore, considerable e ort is dedicated to courses that may improve communication skills for HCPs involved in cancer care. A variety of communication skills training (CST) courses are in practice. We conducted this review to determine whether CST works and which types of CST, if any, are the most e ective. Objectives To assess whether communication skills training is e ective in changing behaviour of HCPs working in cancer care and in improving HCP well-being, patient health status and satisfaction. Search methods For this update, we searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2018, Issue 4), MEDLINE via Ovid, Embase via Ovid, PsycInfo and CINAHL up to May 2018. In addition, we searched the US National Library of Medicine Clinical Trial Registry and handsearched the reference lists of relevant articles and conference proceedings for additional studies. Selection criteria The original review was a narrative review that included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled before-and-a er studies. In updated versions, we limited our criteria to RCTs evaluating CST compared with no CST or other CST in HCPs working in cancer care. Primary outcomes were changes in HCP communication skills measured in interactions with real or simulated people with cancer or both, using objective scales. We excluded studies whose focus was communication skills in encounters related to informed consent for research. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed trials and extracted data to a pre-designed data collection form. We pooled data using the random-e ects method. For continuous data, we used standardised mean di erences (SMDs). Communication skills training for healthcare professionals working with people who have cancer (Review)

Breaking bad news to antenatal patients with strategies to lessen the pain: a qualitative study

“…Communication is not a gift but a skill that can be learned [30] and for which training must be provided, because it does not necessarily improve with experience [31]. The doctors, nurses and nursing assistants who took part in this study all agree that in developing their professional competence, they learned to communicate with patients by means of trial and error and by imitation, from observing the actions of colleagues with more experience.…”

“…Accordingly, ultrasound examinations, screening tests, the signing of consent forms and entering medical records into computer files would occupy most of the time allocated to the consultation, leaving hardly any opportunity for a face-toface exchange of views [10]. A carer may be highly skilled in the application of certain techniques, but this will be of little use if effective communication cannot be established [31]. In fact, technology should be auxiliary to the carer's daily work [45].…”

Interprofessional collaboration: A gastrointestinal unit case study

“…Evidence also suggests that communication skill training courses are recommended in hospital settings, which can enhance healthcare professionals' supportive and communication skills. [19] Other methods, such as active learning, peer teaching, providing opportunities to express ideas and opinions, and encouraging to use computer communication systems, are also useful in terms of developing both communication and interaction skills. [8] 4.3 Interprofessional education Interprofessional education (IPE) is designed to provide health care workers from different professions with opportunities to work together, learn knowledge, attitudes and skills from each other, and thus enhance future collaboration.…”

Interprofessional collaboration strategies: A hematology unit case study

“…[25] Evidence indicates that communication skills training courses are effective in improving healthcare professionals' supportive and communication skills, particularly for gathering information. [26] Slort and colleagues [27] reported significant outcomes on patient satisfaction in a controlled trial of a communication training program. Results of a randomized controlled trial of a scenario-based simulation course training on nurses' communication competence also emphasized the importance of introducing such training to nurse education.…”