Communication Skills Training for Anesthesiology Residents

Overseen By Heather Ballard, MD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Disqualifiers: Participant refusal, prior course, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

80 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mastery Learning in Communication Skills for anesthesiology residents?

Research shows that after implementing a communication skills curriculum for anesthesia residents, patient feedback on residents' communication improved, with higher ratings post-intervention. This suggests that structured communication training can enhance how residents interact with patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is communication skills training for anesthesiology residents safe?

The research does not provide specific safety data for communication skills training, but it is generally considered safe as it involves educational interventions like workshops and simulations, which do not pose physical risks to participants. ^{2 3 6 7 8}

How is the Mastery Learning in Communication Skills treatment different from other communication skills training for anesthesiology residents?

The Mastery Learning in Communication Skills treatment is unique because it uses a combination of simulation and web-based curriculum specifically tailored for anesthesiology residents, focusing on improving their communication skills in procedural settings, which are often overlooked in traditional training programs. ^{2 3 9 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this study is to determine whether mastery learning in communication skills can improve skills in a simulated environment and have translational improvements in outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does mastery learning improve skills in the simulation laboratory? 2. Does mastery learning improve clinical skills as seen by milestone performance? and 3 Does mastery learning improve burnout levels? The study is a multi-institutional randomized controlled trial of anesthesiology residents from five different residency programs. Participants will be randomized to mastery training in communication skills and standard of care, which is vicarious learning. Researchers will compare these two groups to see if mastery learning improves skills and translational outcomes.

Research Team

Heather Ballard, MD

Principal Investigator

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for anesthesiology residents at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, aiming to see if special training in communication can improve their skills and reduce burnout.

Inclusion Criteria

Anesthesiology residents rotating at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Exclusion Criteria

I have chosen not to participate in this trial.

Study participants who have already undergone the mastery learning in difficult conversations course.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training

Participants undergo mastery learning in communication skills or standard of care (vicarious learning) in a simulated environment

1 year

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for improvements in communication skills, milestone performance, and burnout levels

2 years

Assessments at 2 and 6 months post-training

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Mastery Learning in Communication Skills

Trial Overview The study tests whether a 'mastery learning' approach to communication skills can enhance performance in simulations and real clinical settings, compared to the usual vicarious learning methods.

Participant Groups

Group I: Mastery Learning Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Standard of Care Group Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

275

Recruited

5,182,000+

Findings from Research

The OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) developed by Wayne State University effectively assessed the communication skills of second-year residents (PRG-2), showing that their performance predicted their year-end scores in Systems-Based Practice (SBP) competencies, particularly in coordinating patient care and working in interdisciplinary teams.

In contrast, the communication skills of first-year residents (PRG-1) did not correlate with their SBP milestone scores, indicating that the OSCE may be more effective for evaluating the competencies of more experienced residents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Objective Structured Clinical Examination Case for Opioid Management: Standardized Patient Ratings of Communication Skills as a Predictor of Systems-Based Practice Scores. Kenaga, H., Markova, T., Stansfield, RB., et al.[2021]

A new simulation and web-based curriculum for communication skills was implemented for anesthesia residents, addressing a gap in their training.

Patient feedback showed significant improvement in residents' communication skills after the curriculum, indicating its potential effectiveness in enhancing patient care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Impact of a Resident Communication Skills Curriculum on Patients' Experiences of Care. Mitchell, JD., Ku, C., Wong, V., et al.[2016]

Effective communication between anesthesiologists and patients is crucial, especially given the unique challenges of brief interactions and high patient anxiety before procedures, which differ from primary care settings.

A tailored workshop using the 4E Model (Engage, Empathize, Educate, Enlist) was developed to enhance communication skills among anesthesiology trainees, addressing both essential communication elements and ACGME competency requirements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Workshop in Physician-Patient Communication for Anesthesiology Trainees. Eggly, S., Chidiac, EJ., Zestos, M.[2020]

An online patient survey was developed to evaluate the communication skills of anesthesia residents, showing a significant improvement in overall ratings after implementing a simulation-based curriculum.

The median overall rating for residents increased from 3.86 to 3.91 after the intervention, indicating that the customized training had a positive impact on their communication skills.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Customizable Curriculum to Enhance Resident Communication Skills. Mitchell, JD., Ku, C., Lutz, B., et al.[2020]

A structured communication skills training workshop significantly improved the self-assessed communication abilities of 20 pediatric residents, indicating that such training is effective in enhancing their skills.

Before the workshop, most residents felt their communication skills were inadequate, highlighting the need for incorporating structured communication training into pediatric postgraduate education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of communication skills training on perceptions and practice of pediatric residents. Geeta, MG., Krishnakumar, P., Rajasree, KC., et al.[2022]

An educational intervention for anesthesiology residents significantly increased the number of adverse event reports from 0 to nearly 30 per quarter, highlighting improved engagement in patient safety practices.

The training not only enhanced residents' knowledge and skills in reporting but also positively shifted their attitudes towards the importance of reporting, leading to better identification of unsafe conditions and opportunities for process improvements in anesthesia care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An assessment of an educational intervention on resident physician attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to adverse event reporting. Jericho, BG., Tassone, RF., Centomani, NM., et al.[2021]

A study involving 14 obstetrics and gynecology residents showed that their ability to disclose adverse outcomes to patients significantly improved after participating in a formal teaching workshop, with scores increasing from an average of 59.1% to 80.1%.

The use of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) effectively assessed the residents' communication skills, highlighting its value in medical education for teaching and evaluating sensitive communication practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing residents' communication skills: disclosure of an adverse event to a standardized patient. Posner, G., Nakajima, A.[2022]

A survey of 247 anaesthetists revealed that adverse patient safety events significantly impacted their well-being, with many reporting stress, anxiety, and decreased professional confidence after such incidents.

Despite a majority of anaesthetists feeling determined to improve safety, many did not report incidents due to concerns about the effectiveness of reporting systems and fear of punitive actions, highlighting a need for better support and improvements in incident reporting mechanisms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A survey of the impact of patient adverse events and near misses on anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand. Harrison, R., Lee, H., Sharma, A.[2019]

A pilot program called CASE was implemented for 26 first-year internal medicine residents to enhance their communication skills through practical exercises with standardized patients, resulting in increased confidence and valuable feedback for the residents.

The program was well-received by both residents and faculty, providing an effective method for assessing and teaching clinical communication skills, while also aiding in curricular development and faculty training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A communication assessment and skill-building exercise (CASE) for first-year residents. Roth, CS., Watson, KV., Harris, IB.[2019]

A pilot program at George Washington University trained 7 first-year anesthesiology residents in interpersonal and communication skills using the Relationship Express model, which included experiential learning exercises and feedback from faculty and standardized patients.

Feedback from the residents indicated that the program effectively simulated real clinical time constraints and highlighted the importance of body language, suggesting that the model has potential value for improving communication skills in medical training, although further assessment with more participants is needed.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Relationship express: a pilot program to teach anesthesiology residents communication skills. Berger, JS., Blatt, B., McGrath, B., et al.[2023]

A needs assessment conducted at Dalhousie Medical School revealed that both learners and faculty recognized the importance of communication skills training (CST) but identified significant weaknesses in its delivery and assessment, indicating a gap in the existing curriculum.

Following the assessment, an integrated CST program was successfully implemented in 1998, and early evaluations showed positive results across pre-clinical, clerkship, and postgraduate levels, highlighting the program's effectiveness and the need for ongoing faculty development and support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing a communication skills programme in medical school: needs assessment and programme change. Laidlaw, TS., MacLeod, H., Kaufman, DM., et al.[2019]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Objective Structured Clinical Examination Case for Opioid Management: Standardized Patient Ratings of Communication Skills as a Predictor of Systems-Based Practice Scores. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Impact of a Resident Communication Skills Curriculum on Patients' Experiences of Care. [2016]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Workshop in Physician-Patient Communication for Anesthesiology Trainees. [2020]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Customizable Curriculum to Enhance Resident Communication Skills. [2020]

5. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of communication skills training on perceptions and practice of pediatric residents. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An assessment of an educational intervention on resident physician attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to adverse event reporting. [2021]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing residents' communication skills: disclosure of an adverse event to a standardized patient. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A survey of the impact of patient adverse events and near misses on anaesthetists in Australia and New Zealand. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A communication assessment and skill-building exercise (CASE) for first-year residents. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Relationship express: a pilot program to teach anesthesiology residents communication skills. [2023]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementing a communication skills programme in medical school: needs assessment and programme change. [2019]