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Resuscitation status conversations: a short education session improves junior doctors' confidence
Lana Ferguson1, Helen Clark2, Wayne de Beer2
1Palliative Care, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand lana.ferguson2@waikatodhb.health.nz.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
|August 23, 2020
Summary
A brief educational session significantly boosted junior doctors' confidence in discussing resuscitation status with patients. This highlights the need for enhanced postgraduate training in complex communication skills for medical professionals.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Clinical Communication
- Patient-Doctor Relationship
Background:
- Junior doctors often lack experience and confidence in discussing resuscitation status with patients.
- There is no formal postgraduate training requirement for these critical conversations.
- Effective communication regarding resuscitation status is vital for patient-centered care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on junior doctors' confidence and skills in discussing resuscitation status.
- To identify areas for improvement in postgraduate medical training related to complex communication.
Main Methods:
- An educational intervention was delivered to 27 prevocational postgraduate house officers.
- A pre- and post-intervention survey assessed confidence, prognostication ability, conversation content, and perceived barriers.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant improvement was observed in junior doctors' confidence levels when discussing resuscitation status (p=0.001).
- The intervention positively impacted participants' self-reported confidence in these sensitive discussions.
Conclusions:
- Short educational sessions can effectively enhance junior doctors' confidence in discussing resuscitation status.
- Further postgraduate training is essential to develop advanced communication skills for complex medical conversations.
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