- Title
- Exploring the attitudes of pharmacy students to clinical communications training
- Creator
- Gilligan, C.; Outram, S.; Rasiah, R. L.; Cooper, J. M.
- Relation
- Focus on Health Professional Education Vol. 13, Issue 2, p. 25-36
- Publisher
- ANZAHPE
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2011
- Description
- Background: Communication skills and the development of positive relationships between health professionals and patients are central to quality health care. Communication skills training using role-play with actors trained as simulated patients is effective and well received by students, but its value is decreased as student numbers in each class increase. Aims: This study, involving students enrolled in the Master of Pharmacy program at the University of Newcastle, aimed to: explore the students' attitudes towards communication skills sessions and their confidence in participating in role-play scenarios with simulated patients; assess the extent to which students perceive that the skills practised during these sessions are implemented during placement; assess whether an association exists between attitude, confidence and outcomes in terms of assessment marks relating to communication skills; and identify students' needs in relation to communication skills training. Method: A series of questionnaires were completed by students in years one and two as they progressed through the program. Attitudes towards and confidence in learning communication skills were compared before participation in tutorial sessions, following several sessions and again after extensive clinical placement opportunities. Open-ended responses were analysed thematically. Results: Most students reported that they valued and benefited from the communications skills sessions in terms of confidence and an awareness of communication skills. Recognition of the importance of learning communication skills increased after tutorials, and students indicated that the tutorials had helped in equipping them with skills which they used in clinical placement situations. No association could be demonstrated between students' attitudes or confidence and their results in oral exams. Large tutorial groups were reported as a key limitation to the effectiveness, and students' enjoyment of, communications skills sessions. Conclusion: The results of this study reinforced the benefit of the sessions but also highlighted the limitations of running sessions with large numbers of students. Online interactive programs and recorded scenarios represent possible options to overcome the limitations of class size, whilst achieving the objectives of communication skills training.
- Subject
- teaching methods; pharmacy; communication
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1062932
- Identifier
- uon:17170
- Identifier
- ISSN:1442-1100
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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