OBJECTIVE: To address the need for interventions to enhance parent-provider communication, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief intervention to enhance interpersonal communication skills by pediatric and internal medicine/pediatric residents with parents of children seen in ambulatory practice. METHODS: In a within-subjects, repeated measures research design, residents (N=28) participated in a 1-112h intervention designed to increase the use of effective communication skills with their patients' families (N=92). Three pediatric visits (one prior to and two following the intervention) were audio-taped and coded using Roter's Interaction Analysis System. Parents' perceptions of residents' communication skills and satisfaction with care were gathered. RESULTS: Residents used more effective interpersonal communication skills following the intervention (p<.05). Parent satisfaction with care also increased (p<.01) with parents reporting greater satisfaction with distress relief (p=.01) and communication following the intervention (p=.05). However, parents' perceptions of resident communication did not change over time. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a relatively brief intervention shows promise in improving the quality of care provided within a pediatric ambulatory care setting. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Training residents to increase their use of praise, empathy, and collaboration with families can be done within a brief intervention and may be associated with increased parental satisfaction with care.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To address the need for interventions to enhance parent-provider communication, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief intervention to enhance interpersonal communication skills by pediatric and internal medicine/pediatric residents with parents of children seen in ambulatory practice. METHODS: In a within-subjects, repeated measures research design, residents (N=28) participated in a 1-112h intervention designed to increase the use of effective communication skills with their patients' families (N=92). Three pediatric visits (one prior to and two following the intervention) were audio-taped and coded using Roter's Interaction Analysis System. Parents' perceptions of residents' communication skills and satisfaction with care were gathered. RESULTS: Residents used more effective interpersonal communication skills following the intervention (p<.05). Parent satisfaction with care also increased (p<.01) with parents reporting greater satisfaction with distress relief (p=.01) and communication following the intervention (p=.05). However, parents' perceptions of resident communication did not change over time. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a relatively brief intervention shows promise in improving the quality of care provided within a pediatric ambulatory care setting. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Training residents to increase their use of praise, empathy, and collaboration with families can be done within a brief intervention and may be associated with increased parental satisfaction with care.
Authors: Eleanor B Peterson; Kimberly A Boland; Kristina A Bryant; Tara F McKinley; Melissa B Porter; Katherine E Potter; Aaron W Calhoun Journal: J Grad Med Educ Date: 2016-12
Authors: Kimberly A Kaphingst; Nancy L Weaver; Ricardo J Wray; Melissa L R Brown; Trent Buskirk; Matthew W Kreuter Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2014-10-07 Impact factor: 2.655