LAUSR

Background Good communication skills are essential in healthcare, nowhere more so than with young people. Talking about sensitive and emotive topics with young people can be a daunting prospect. Studies have shown that engaging adolescents as simulated ‘standardised patients’ for training is valuable and feasible.1 Summary of Work We developed a communication-skills training programme with scenarios and feedback designed by young people, who had previous personal experiences as patients across our Trust. Staff members engage in a work-shop where individuals are given scripts to act as a young person (and their parent/carer), and the young person plays the role of the health professional. The modelled ‘health professional’ takes on an exaggerated ‘act’ (eg. the ‘rushed’ triage nurse, or the ‘patronising’ consultant). The sessions use a facilitated debrief to bring out communication skills and the impact they can have on emotions and behaviours, as well as the clinical impact. Summary of Results Following each session, attendees were surveyed. We received 84 responses across 6 sessions (June 2019 to February 2020). Attendees included medical (from FY1 to Consultant), nursing (from student to Band 7) and other hospital staff. 100% of responders (84/84) found the role-reversal exercise useful. On a scale of 1, ‘not at all’, to 5, ‘extremely’, 61%(51/84) found it ‘extremely’ useful, with a further 33%(28/84) scoring 4 out of 5, and the remaining 6%(5/84) scoring 3 out of 5. With regards relevance to their clinical practice, on a 5 point scale (1, ‘not at all’ - 5, ‘extremely’), 65%(55/84) scored it as 5, ‘extremely’ relevant, a further 30%(25/84) scored it 4 out of 5, 4%(3/84) scored it 3 out of 5 and 1%(1/84) scored it 2 out of 5. No responders reported it was of no relevance. We asked how likely the sessions were to change attendees’ future practice. On a scale of 1, ‘not at all’, to 5, ‘extremely’, 37%(30/82) responders scored this at 5, ‘extremely’ likely, a further 43%(35/82) scored 4 out of 5, and the remaining 21%(17/82) scored it at 3 out of 5. Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations Following 6 sessions with a wide variety of healthcare professionals, attendees evaluated the role-reversal adolescent communication skills sessions extremely positively. Attendees report it is relevant to their clinical practice, and the majority believe it will change their future practice. Our next steps will be to survey previous attendees to assess impact on subsequent practice. Reference Gamble A, Bearman M, Nestel D. A systematic review: Children & Adolescents as simulated patients in health professional education. Adv Simul (Lond). 2016;1:1. Published 2016 Jan 11. doi:10.1186/s41077-015-0003-9