ACTup: advanced communication training simulation enhanced by actors trained in the Stanislavski system.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Effective communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills are vital for clinical practice.
• Actors utilize life experiences for character development, offering unique perspectives.
• Traditional simulation methods may lack the dynamic realism needed for advanced skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation enhanced by trained actors for improving paediatric trainees' advanced communication skills.
• To assess the impact of realistic, actor-driven scenarios on trainee engagement and learning.
• To explore the value of non-medical feedback from actors on communication performance.

Main Methods:

• Development of a communication training course focusing on challenging paediatric scenarios (e.g., child death, safeguarding).
• Briefing actors to portray realistic parent/carer roles in stressful clinical situations.
• Paediatric trainees participated in simulations, followed by multidisciplinary faculty debriefing.
• Evaluation through focus groups analyzing trainee feedback on the simulation experience.

Main Results:

• Trainees reported actor-enhanced simulations were more effective than those with untrained simulated patients.
• Actors' ability to respond dynamically to emotive situations enhanced realism and engagement.
• Actors provided valuable non-medical feedback on body language, tone, and language use.
• Actors adapted their performance in vivo, increasing trainee engagement and learning.

Conclusions:

• Simulation training enhanced by professional actors offers a superior method for developing advanced paediatric communication skills.
• The realism and adaptive nature of actor-led simulations significantly improve trainee engagement and skill acquisition.
• Actor feedback provides a unique, beneficial perspective for refining clinical communication.