Simulation-based Training Improves Competency in Communicating Bad News

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Delivering bad news is a task that doctors encounter daily in most medical practices, especially in Intensive Care Unit, where morbidity and mortality are high. The objective of this project was to demonstrate effectiveness of an educational program using simulation-based training intervention to teach medical students to deliver bad news and communicate more effectively with families.

Detailed Description
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Delivering bad news is a task that doctors encounter daily in most medical practices, especially in Intensive Care Unit, where morbidity and mortality are high. The term bad news refers to any information transmitted to patients or their families that directly or indirectly involves a negative change in their lives or view of their future. Existing reports show that practicing doctors and residents lack confidence and skill in performing this task, and most have never received any formal training. Breaking bad news is a complex task requiring many skills including communication, responding to emotional reactions, and involving the family members. The objective of this project was to demonstrate effectiveness of an educational program using simulation-based training intervention to teach medical students to deliver bad news and communicate more effectively with families. We hypothesize that simulation-based training intervention will improve medical student competency in communicating bad news to patients.

Official Title
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Simulation-based Training Improves Medical Student Competency in Communicating Bad News to Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Simulation of Physical Illness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Simulation training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Residents working at the Intensive Care Unit. Exclusion Criteria: Residents who are are available for the intervention or who don't have the appropriate number of meetings captured for data analysis
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Usual training<br>Participants randomized to the control condition received a standard training of how to communicate bad news to patients | Behavioral: Simulation training<br>* Participants randomized to the simulation condition received simulation training based on a standard training of how to communicate bad news to patients<br>|
| Experimental: Simulation training<br>Participants randomized to the simulation training group received simulation training based on a standard training of how to communicate bad news to patients | Behavioral: Simulation training<br>* Participants randomized to the simulation condition received simulation training based on a standard training of how to communicate bad news to patients<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of Participants with competency in communicating bad news behavioral measure | Number of Participants with competency in communicating bad news behavioral measure | One month after training | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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simulation, competency