TeamTalk: Interprofessional Team Development and Communication Skills Training.

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Medical Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Communication skills are crucial in palliative care.
• Existing training often lacks an interprofessional focus.
• The VitalTalk methodology provides a foundation for communication skills development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate "TeamTalk," an interprofessional communication training program.
• To adapt VitalTalk methodology for diverse healthcare learners.
• To assess changes in attitudes toward collaboration and self-confidence in communication.

Main Methods:

• A pilot project involving interactive workshops for medical fellows, nursing students, and chaplain interns.
• Utilized small group discussions, reflection, and simulated patient/family encounters.
• Employed a pre- and post-test design with validated instruments for quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Main Results:

• Sixty-one learners participated, showing improved attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration (p < 0.01).
• Self-confidence in eliciting contributions from colleagues significantly improved (p < 0.001).
• Chaplains, nurses, and physicians reported varying degrees of improvement in communication confidence.

Conclusions:

• The TeamTalk program effectively enhanced interprofessional collaboration and communication confidence.
• Learners valued the interprofessional learning environment and role exploration.
• Findings suggest applicability to interprofessional education in serious illness management.