The entry-level physical therapist: a case for COMFORT communication training

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Palliative Care Communication
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Entry-level physical therapists manage diverse patient populations but receive limited training in end-of-life communication.
• Effective communication is crucial for physical therapy, yet educational curricula often lack focus on serious or chronically ill patients.
• Students require enhanced skills for sensitive conversations with patients and families during palliative and end-of-life care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the COMFORT communication training curriculum on entry-level physical therapists.
• To assess changes in physical therapy students' apprehension, knowledge, confidence, and behaviors regarding end-of-life communication.
• To determine the feasibility and utility of communication training in physical therapy education.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post survey design was employed to measure changes before and after the intervention.
• Narrative writing was used as a qualitative method to assess communication skill integration.
• The COMFORT communication training curriculum was delivered to graduating doctorally trained physical therapists.

Main Results:

• The COMFORT curriculum led to decreased student apprehension when communicating with dying patients and their families.
• Significant positive increases were observed in students' communication knowledge, confidence, and reported behaviors.
• Trained students demonstrated improved ability to integrate task-focused, relational, and emotional support messages.

Conclusions:

• The COMFORT communication training curriculum shows promise for improving physical therapists' end-of-life communication skills.
• Integrating this training earlier in physical therapy education could enhance student preparedness.
• Further research is needed to validate these communication skills in clinical practice.