Compassionate and Clinical Behavior of Residents in a Simulated Informed Consent Encounter

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Medical Education
• Patient Communication

Background:

• Compassionate care involves understanding and addressing patients' psychosocial, physical, and medical needs.
• Evaluating clinician compassion is crucial for improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess compassionate behavior in anesthesia residents during simulated preoperative evaluations.
• To examine pain management, patient interactions, and informed consent processes.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-five anesthesia residents (PGY-1 and PGY-3) participated in a simulated preoperative evaluation.
• Standardized patients presented with pain prior to an urgent laparotomy.
• Encounters were evaluated for pain medication orders, patient-resident communication using the Empathic Communication Coding System, and informed consent content.

Main Results:

• 86% of residents ordered pain medication, with an average delay of 4.2 minutes.
• Resident responses to patient cues for pain and nausea were generally low (mean 1.7 on a 0-6 scale).
• Residents who did not order pain medication showed significantly lower empathic responses.

Conclusions:

• Anesthesia residents exhibit variable recognition and responsiveness to patient cues.
• Pain management and compassionate interactions in simulated preoperative settings require improvement.
• Findings underscore the need for enhanced training in patient-centered communication and care for anesthesia residents.