Back-to-Basics Hospital-Wide Training Improves Inpatient Pediatric Care Experiences.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience Improvement
• Clinical Communication Skills Training

Background:

• Hospital leaders aim to enhance patient care experiences.
• Training sessions are commonly used to improve clinician-patient interactions.
• Effective communication and safety protocols are crucial for positive healthcare experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a hospital-wide 'Back-to-Basics' training program on inpatient pediatric care experiences.
• To assess changes in Child Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores following the intervention.
• To determine if the training improved communication behaviors and safety protocols.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-wide 'Back-to-Basics' training program was implemented for clinical and nonclinical staff.
• The curriculum included didactics, video demonstrations, and role-play focused on communication and safety.
• Child HCAHPS scores were compared 24 months before and 13 months after the 3-month training intervention.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase was observed in 5 out of 8 targeted Child HCAHPS measures.
• Improvements were noted in nurse-to-patient communication, nurse-to-child communication, doctor-to-child communication, error prevention/concern reporting, and child comfort.
• No significant differences in training effects were found based on service line or patient demographics (race, ethnicity, language).

Conclusions:

• A brief, hospital-wide training focused on communication and safety significantly improved relevant Child HCAHPS scores.
• The 'Back-to-Basics' training offers a scalable intervention for various pediatric and inpatient settings.
• Further evaluation in diverse pediatric hospital settings and contexts is recommended to confirm broader applicability.