Abstract
Feedback is a key factor in acquiring breaking bad news (BBN) communication skills and its’ acceptance depends on the perceived credibility of the provider. Our aim was to investigate students’ opinions on the provided feedback by different educators (surgeons, psychologists, and simulated patient (SP)) during BBN skills training. We developed a questionnaire investigating provided feedback by the surgeon, psychologist, and SP (yes or no statements), regarding (1) perceived safety of the atmosphere, (2) perceived positive feedback, (3) perceived specific feedback, and (4) perceived usefulness for improvement during BBN skills training. Five hundred twenty students returned the questionnaire after BBN skills training. Most students rated the feedback as positive, specific, and useful. Also, the atmosphere was considered safe. Feedback ratings of the SP were the same as for the surgeon and valued higher than for the psychologist. An unsafe atmosphere, or not receiving positive, specific, or useful feedback was mostly related to the psychologist’s feedback. Feedback on BBN skills training by surgeons and SPs is rated equally helpful by students and is regarded specific, useful, and positive. When designing a BBN training, it is worth to consider involving SP’s as well as clinicians.
Highlights
Feedback is a key factor in acquiring new communication skills [1, 7, 10, 13], for breaking bad news (BBN) skills
No study investigated how students look back on the feedback provided by different educators during communication skills training on how to BBN
Five hundred twenty students (520/591, response rate 88.0%) returned the questionnaire immediately after the BBN skills. This is the first study on how students evaluate feedback by different educators immediately after BBN skills training
Summary
Feedback is a key factor in acquiring new communication skills [1, 7, 10, 13], for breaking bad news (BBN) skills. It ideally should be provided within a mutual understanding (educational alliance), in which educators and learners both share learning intentions, and should follow the rules of effective feedback to lead to improved performance [4, 12, 14]. To adequately learn how to break bad news, students need an emotional safe environment, in which highly credible providers can give feedback within a short time frame after practicing it. The data had been collected from April 2008 to December 2009, but, due to an unforeseen serious life event of the first
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