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Effects of continuing paediatric education in interpersonal communication skills
1Netherlands Institute of Primary Health Care (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands. S.vandulmen@nivel.nl
Insights
Continuing paediatric education significantly improves pediatricians' communication skills, particularly in addressing psychosocial issues with patients and families. This training enhances verbal and nonverbal interactions during outpatient visits.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Pediatrics
- Communication Skills Training
Background:
- Paediatric care necessitates strong interpersonal communication skills, especially for psychosocial issues.
- Shifting paediatric morbidity and increased patient empowerment highlight the need for ongoing communication skills training for paediatricians.
- The impact of post-residency paediatric education on paediatrician performance remains a subject of debate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a 5-day experiential communication training program for paediatricians.
- To assess the influence of this training on paediatricians' communication behaviors during outpatient encounters.
Main Methods:
- A pretest/post-test control group design was employed.
- Twenty-one consulting paediatricians participated: 10 in the experimental group and 11 in the control group.
- Paediatricians videotaped outpatient encounters before and after the training intervention.
Main Results:
- Trained paediatricians asked more psychosocial questions compared to the control group.
- Trained paediatricians increased eye contact with patients and parents.
- Trained paediatricians provided more opportunities for patients and parents to speak.
- No significant difference was observed in the duration of outpatient visits between groups.
Conclusions:
- Continuing paediatric education after residency positively impacts paediatricians' verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
- The training was particularly effective in improving the handling of psychosocial issues.
- Encouraging ongoing training in interpersonal communication skills for paediatricians is recommended.
Unlabelled:
Paediatric care places great demands on interpersonal communication skills, especially as regards the handling of psychosocial issues. Recent shifts in paediatric morbidity and increases in patient empowerment furthermore emphasize the need for continuing paediatric education in communication skills. It is, however, debatable, whether after residency paediatric education can influence paediatrician performance. This study evaluated the effects of a 5-day experiential communication training by means of a pretest/post-test control group design. A total of 21 consulting paediatricians (10 experimental, 11 control group paediatricians) videotaped two series of consecutive outpatient encounters. Compared with the untrained control group, trained paediatricians asked more psychosocial questions and looked at the patients and their parents more often. In addition, they gave patients and parents more room to talk. No difference was found in the length of the outpatient visits.
Conclusion:
Paediatric education after residency influences paediatricians' verbal and nonverbal communication skills positively, especially as regards handling psychosocial issues. On the basis of these findings, it appears worthwhile to encourage continuing paediatric education in interpersonal communication skills.