Training Undergraduates Skills in Breaking Bad News: How Students Value Educators’ Feedback

Abstract

Feedback is a key factor in acquiring breaking bad news (BBN) communication skills and its' acceptance depends on the perceived credibility of the provider. Our aim was to investigate students' opinions on the provided feedback by different educators (surgeons, psychologists, and simulated patient (SP)) during BBN skills training. We developed a questionnaire investigating provided feedback by the surgeon, psychologist, and SP (yes or no statements), regarding (1) perceived safety of the atmosphere, (2) perceived positive feedback, (3) perceived specific feedback, and (4) perceived usefulness for improvement during BBN skills training. Five hundred twenty students returned the questionnaire after BBN skills training. Most students rated the feedback as positive, specific, and useful. Also, the atmosphere was considered safe. Feedback ratings of the SP were the same as for the surgeon and valued higher than for the psychologist. An unsafe atmosphere, or not receiving positive, specific, or useful feedback was mostly related to the psychologist's feedback. Feedback on BBN skills training by surgeons and SPs is rated equally helpful by students and is regarded specific, useful, and positive. When designing a BBN training, it is worth to consider involving SP's as well as clinicians.

Breaking bad news: Awareness and practice among Sudanese doctors

“…This was attributed to no training or education, which is common problems across the different countries like USA and Nigeria [24] , [25] It worth mentioning, education per se will not improve communication in breaking bad news unless its combined with training [26] . Training will give opportunity to overcome stress associated with breaking bad news and help clinicians to develop confidence [27] , [28] . The variability in the adherence to the six steps of the SPIKES in our study, was also shown in different studies [10] , [11] , [23] , [24] .…”

“…Training and education is important for all clinician irrespective of their specialists. It worth mentioning, in pediatric its important to be trained in breaking bad news to families [27] , [28] , [30] .…”

How Do Simulated Interviews Increase the Self-efficacy of Medical Students? - Quasi-experimental Research-

“…This has not been reported in previous studies. Expanding one's knowledge via feedback from simulated patients, doctors, and peers is considered useful and positive [12]. Positive feedback is a social reinforcer, resulting in positive emotions and increases the positive cognition that one can perform the same task equally well in the future [17].…”

“…reported that the students who conducted a medical interview to tell bad news perceived the feedback from doctors, SPs and peers as useful information for them [12]. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate whether the improvement in self-e cacy is an effect of the simulated interview itself or the feedback that follows.…”

La formación médica en comunicación de malas noticias: Una revisión narrativa.

“…Durante la formación de los profesionales de la salud se obvia muchas veces este apartado, dejando el desarrollo de las competencias en comunicación al azar, de tal forma que, ora como estudiante, ora como profesional, el médico se ha de enfrentar a dar malas noticias de manera instintiva, lo que puede generar errores y problemas en la forma como se abordan los pacientes (4). La evidencia muestra que los pacientes con mucha frecuencia están insatisfechos con la forma como los profesionales les advierten de su condición clínica y con la cantidad de información que se les suministra, lo que lleva a inconformidad, menor credibilidad, y, en algunos casos extremos, a querellas legales (5), en la medida que la perspectiva y habilidades que los médicos desarrollan, ya sea empírica o guiada por el currículo, no está centrada en el paciente sino tan solo desde su perspectiva y necesidades, por no decir, desde sus miedos e incompetencias (6)(7)(8).…”