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Title: Patient communication simulation laboratory for students in an acute care nurse practitioner program. Author: Rosenzweig M, Hravnak M, Magdic K, Beach M, Clifton M, Arnold R. Journal: Am J Crit Care; 2008 Jul; 17(4):364-72. PubMed ID: 18593836. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Effective communication skills for clinical practice are essential for all advanced practice nurses. However, competence in these skills is not necessarily intuitive. Advanced communication skills should be taught in a way that is similar to the way other psychomotor skills in advanced nursing practice programs are taught. OBJECTIVES: To develop a patient communication simulation laboratory for the acute care nurse practitioner program at a major university and to evaluate students' perceived confidence and communication effectiveness before and immediately as well as 4 months after completion of the laboratory. METHODS: The communication simulation laboratory was developed in collaboration with faculty from the schools of nursing and medicine. Students participated in a didactic session and then completed a 2-hour communication simulation in the laboratory. Content and simulation concentrated on breaking "bad news," empathetic communication, motivational interviewing, and the "angry" patient. Students' self-reported confidence and perceived skill in communication were measured via a Likert scale before, immediately after, and 4 months after completion of the laboratory simulation. Students also evaluated the experience by responding to open-ended questions. RESULTS: Compared with baseline findings (before the lecture and simulation), students' confidence in initiating difficult conversations increased significantly both immediately (P<.001) and 4 months after (P=.001) the laboratory simulation. Students' self-ratings of overall ability to communicate were also significantly greater immediately (P<.001) and 4 months (P=.001) after the simulation. Overall, students rated the laboratory simulation experience highly beneficial. CONCLUSIONS: The content and methods used for the simulation improved students' confidence and perceived skill in communication in potentially difficult acute care situations.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]