Breaking bad news: evaluation study on self-perceived competences and views of medical and nursing students taking part in a collaborative workshop

Abstract

To identify possible effects of an interprofessional breaking bad news course for medical and nursing students on perceived key communication skills and to elicit the views of participants on interprofessional aspects of breaking bad news. Medical and nursing students attending an optional course on breaking bad news received a structured questionnaire on self-perceived communication skills and views on interprofessional aspects at the beginning and end of the course. Forty-seven out of 54 students completed the evaluation questionnaires (response rate=87%). Medical students and nursing students rated their key communication skills after the course as significantly better compared with the beginning of the course. Medical students and nursing students disagreed with the statement that a course format for only one of the professional groups would have been more effective than the interprofessional course concept. Students valued the concept of the interprofessional course positively. The improvement of self-perceived communication skills may be interpreted as a positive effect of the teaching session. Further research is necessary to develop strategies to implement a collaborative approach in breaking bad news in clinical practice.