Providing Informed Consent: A Standardized Case

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Communication
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Informed consent is a critical skill for residents from the start of training.
• The Association of American Medical Colleges identifies informed consent as a Core Entrustable Professional Activity.
• Developing proficiency in obtaining informed consent is essential for patient safety and ethical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a simulation-based training case for obtaining informed consent for a lumbar puncture.
• To assess the effectiveness of structured feedback in improving residents' informed consent skills.
• To provide a formative assessment tool for medical learners.

Main Methods:

• A standardized patient case was developed involving a leukemia patient presenting with neurological symptoms.
• Learners practiced obtaining informed consent for a lumbar puncture, focusing on compassionate, honest, and confident communication.
• The simulation included immediate, structured feedback on learner performance.

Main Results:

• The training case was highly rated by learners for clarity and appropriateness.
• Learners found the standardized patient feedback valuable for skill development.
• The simulation effectively facilitated the crucial skill of obtaining informed consent.

Conclusions:

• Learners demonstrated competency in obtaining informed consent, performing above the target passing score.
• The simulation successfully measured both the content and communication aspects of informed consent.
• This formative assessment is a meaningful exercise for enhancing residents' clinical and communication abilities.