"We communicate poorly with each other" - Registrars' perceptions of communication skills training

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Background There is strong evidence that patient health outcomes are improved by effective clinician communication both with their patients and each other. Despite this, there is still a lack of training in and assessment of communication skills in postgraduate curricula in South Africa. When designing a communication skills training curriculum for registrars, their views and needs should be considered as they may impact the effectiveness of such an intervention. Objectives To explore registrars' understanding of what constitutes effective communication in the workplace and the value thereof. Furthermore, the registrars' communication skills training experiences and needs were determined. Methods This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted at a government hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Registrars' perceptions were explored making use of one on one interviews that were transcribed, coded, and themed using an inductive, iterative approach. Results Ten registrars working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology were interviewed individually. Registrars highly value effective communication skills and are of the opinion that they can improve with training. The participants experienced challenges when communicating with colleagues, particularly with consultants. The registrars made recommendations for the improvement of communication skills training at postgraduate level. Conclusion Registrars expressed a need for formal training to facilitate effective communication with colleagues, especially with consultants. These results should be considered when developing a postgraduate curriculum for communication skills training. Enhancing the quality of registrar-consultant interactions may have a positive influence on both the standard of patient care and registrars' clinical learning environment.