Delivery of Difficult News Among Residents at a Tertiary Hospital In Kenya Using a Short Training Video (UNMASKES)

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Training
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Delivery of difficult news (DDN) is a critical yet challenging aspect of medical practice.
• Limited research exists on DDN training for resident physicians in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
• A 4-minute graphic video, UNMASKES, was developed to aid resident physicians in DDN.

Discussion:

• The UNMASKES video training demonstrated significant improvements in resident physicians' ability to deliver difficult news.
• Key areas of improvement included patient notification, environmental preparation, information delivery, summarization, follow-up, and emotional support.
• The accessibility and brevity of the UNMASKES video make it a practical tool for medical education.

Key Insights:

• Resident physicians showed enhanced communication skills after UNMASKES training.
• Improved patient care through better delivery of difficult news was observed.
• The UNMASKES training positively impacted resident preparedness for patient and family emotions.

Outlook:

• The UNMASKES video offers a scalable and effective solution for DDN training in resource-limited settings.
• Further research could explore long-term impacts and broader implementation of the UNMASKES method.
• This training approach has the potential to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction in SSA and beyond.