Teaching medical undergraduates basic clinical skills in hospice--is it practical?

Basic clinical skills teaching to medical undergraduates was a new departure for the hospice stimulated by the changing philosophies and organisation of students' training. This study was undertaken to assess the practicalities of the venture.

Questionnaires were designed for each of the three major groups of people involved, namely the students, the patients, and the hospice nurses. Involved patients completed theirs after teaching sessions, while the students and nurses were given two different questionnaires each, one at the start and another at the end of the academic year.

All students completed both questionnaires. Overall they had acquired adequate skills to pass their end of year assessments and considered themselves more comfortable with difficult situations than may otherwise have been the case. The majority of patients had enjoyed the experience and found it personally educational and a change to hospice routines. The nurses' response rates were very poor, limiting any conclusions that could be drawn.

The venture was successful, stimulating, and practical for patients and students. Its impact on the nurses remains uncertain but, by their unusual lack of opinion expression, it can be inferred tentatively that this was minimal.