Promoting therapeutic communication and patient-centered care using standardized patients

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Effective therapeutic communication is crucial in psychiatric nursing.
• Integrating patient-centered care principles enhances nursing education.
• Simulation activities offer a safe environment for skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To incorporate the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency of patient-centered care into a simulation.
• To improve therapeutic communication skills in psychiatric nursing students.
• To assess student learning through self-evaluation and faculty debriefing.

Main Methods:

• A simulation activity involving students interacting with an actor portraying a mental illness patient.
• Video recording of student-actor interactions for review and analysis.
• Student self-evaluation and faculty-led debriefing sessions.

Main Results:

• Students identified communication techniques and areas for improvement.
• Faculty and actors provided feedback on therapeutic communication and patient-centered care.
• The activity aimed to foster knowledge, skills, and attitudes for quality care.

Conclusions:

• The simulation effectively integrated patient-centered care and therapeutic communication training.
• The pilot activity demonstrated potential for enhancing psychiatric nursing education.
• Desired learning outcomes included improved communication, empathy, and patient advocacy skills.