Competency In Communication Skills Research Articles

Decades old communication training influences seen in patient-centric communication skills of transplant hematologists.

12099 Background: Competency in communication skills was added as a requirement for residencies in 1999. Numerous strategies have since been incorporated into all phases of medical education and beyond. “Ask-tell-ask” and “NURSE” are commonly taught strategies used to guide conversations between physicians and patients. “Ask-tell-ask” provides a structure for assessing and delivering medical knowledge to a patient. “NURSE” outlines methods for incorporating empathy into the medical provider’s statements. We evaluated for the presence of these communication strategies in a high-stakes discussion between a transplant hematologist and a simulated patient facing a new diagnosis of high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: This is a sub-analysis from a mixed-methods, observational study. Our team recruited hematologists who routinely perform hematopoietic cell transplants and designed a patient scenario of a 67-year-old man with recently diagnosed high-risk MDS referred to hematology. Video-recorded virtual encounters simulated an initial hematology consultation appointment between the hematologist and an actor trained to portray the patient. We analyzed transcripts and coded for themes in the discussion content and structure. We evaluated for the use of known communication strategies “ask-tell-ask”, and “NURSE” empathic responses. Results: Of 37 hematologists from 25 academic centers who participated, 73% reported receiving at least some formal communication training. Hematologists ” when teaching patients about their disease and treatment options. For example, nearly all hematologists opened the encounter by asking the patient a perception question regarding their understanding of their disease; nearly all incorporated at least one "NURSE" empathic statement after telling the patient about their disease and its prognostic implications. Most explored the patient’s goals for treatment and described treatment options utilizing an “ask-tell-ask” approach. Nearly all concluded the encounter with a summary and strategy for next steps. Conclusions: While it is commonly held that teaching communication is difficult, these conversations between hematologists and patient actors show the impact of communication training delivered over the past twenty years through the routine incorporation of well-described strategies of “ask-tell-ask” and "NURSE". This observational study provides a window into how these teachings have permeated into medical practice and hematology/oncology specifically. The incorporation of commonly taught communication strategies into these physician-patient encounters provides evidence that teaching high-quality communication may change physician behavior in a sustained and diffuse way.

The 7 Elements Communication Rating Form for Teaching and Assessing Medical Communication Competency.

Medical communication skills are a critical component of clinical medicine and patient satisfaction.Communication skills are difficult to teach and evaluate, necessitating tools that are effective and efficient. This study presents and validates the 7 Elements Communication Rating Form (7E-CRF), a streamlined, dual-purpose, evidence-based medical communication checklist that functions as a teaching and assessment tool. A 14-item teaching and assessment tool is described and validated using face, concurrent, and predictive validity indices.The study was conducted with 661 medical students from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM).Student performance was assessed in year 1 labs, year 2 labs, and year 2 and year 3 objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).These internal indices were compared with student performance on the Humanistic Domain of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 2-Performance Evaluation (PE), a licensure exam previously taken in years 3 or 4 of osteopathic medical schools. The evidence of interrater reliability and predictive validity is strong. Data from the 7E-CRF is compared to performance on the COMLEX Level 2-PE, Humanistic Domain. The 7E-CRF can identify students who are at a 10-fold increased risk of failure on the COMLEX Level 2-PE Humanistic Domain. Conclusions:The 7E-CRF integrates instruction and assessment, based on a national and international model. The simplicity, foundation in professional consensus, ease of use, and predictive efficacy make the 7E-CRF a highly valuable instrument for medical schools in teaching and evaluating competency in medical communication skills.

The significance of digital technologies in fostering the development of communicative competence among the prospective doctors

Future doctors are expected to possess a high level of professional skills, as reflected by their acquisition of proficient communication competence. The purpose of the article is to determine the role of digital technologies in the formation of communicative competence of prospective doctors. The objective was attained through the use of observation, analysis and weight coefficient, efficiency coefficient, Spearman's correlation coefficient. It was established that the development of communicative competence skills primarily allows to ensure the relevant orientation to the communication conditions (1.6) as well as informativity (1.53). To cultivate the communication proficiencies of prospective medical professionals, the authors developed corresponding approaches that included the use of digital technologies. The study of theoretical material involved the use of the SlideDog application; conducting practical classes via Medvoice Platform. The formation of professional competence involved the role-playing of relevant situations, based on the materials of the Pediatric Dentistry Academy, CARE-NExT-PG. After determining the level of students’ communication skills development in Group 1 (40.2) and Group 2 (40.1), it was established that they attained a high level. The development of communication skills contributed to the formation of students’ communication and social skills, as well as skills of abstract thinking and statistical information processing. The practical significance of the study lies in the elaboration of effective approaches to the development of prospective doctors’ communication skills drawing on the use of digital technologies. Research perspectives may be linked to the comparison of the level of communicative competence among medical students across various academic levels.

A meta-synthesis of the experience of paediatric nurses in communication with children.

This study aimed to conduct a meta-synthesis to explore the experiences of paediatric nurses in communication with children. We conducted a meta-synthesis review, following the outline proposed by Sandelowski, Barrosso & Voils. Our search encompassed six electronic databases, namely PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO (MEDLINE), Web of Science, SAGE, and Wiley. The Primary keywords used were "nurse", "child", "communication", and "qualitative". We included qualitative articles in English within the field of paediatric nursing between 1990 and 2023. Initially, 1980 records were identified which reduced to 1339 references after removing duplicates. Subsequently, we assessed 112 full-text articles for eligibility and 14 relevant studies were ultimately included in our review. Quality appraisal was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme checklist with no study being excluded based on quality criteria. Data were synthesized using the qualitative thematic analysis method. The data analysis yielded three themes and seven sub-themes. These themes include swinging between triadic and dyadic communication, applying a hybrid of communication methods, and influential factor in communication. This study highlighted the significance of establishing a balanced approach between dyadic communication (nurse and child) and triadic communication (nurse-parent-child) in paediatric care. Paediatric nurses emphasized the simultaneous use of verbal and non-verbal methods to enhance effective communication. Additionally, identifying the influential factors in communication can aid in developing and improving nurses' competency in communication skills within paediatric departments. Understanding the communication process and the factors that influence it can be instrumental in equipping paediatric nurses with enhanced communication skills in their practice. Establishing a balanced approach between dyadic communication (nurse and child) and triadic communication (nurse-parent-child) in paediatric care is crucial. Paediatric nurses emphasized the simultaneous use of verbal and non-verbal methods to enhance effective communication. Identifying the influential factors in communication can aid in developing and improving nurses' competency in communication skills within paediatric departments.

Perceptions and experiences of employers and mentors of graduate optometrists’ practice readiness in South Africa

Background. Optometry graduates are a key source of new recruits for private practice employers, the largest employer of South African (SA) optometry graduates. Universities should ensure that graduates are employable to compete in the labour market and to practise.Objective. To gain an understanding of the practice readiness of optometry graduates who qualified from SA institutions between 2016 and 2020, from the perspective of private practice employers and mentors (EMs).Methods. Using non-probability convenience sampling, private optometry EMs of recent graduates were invited to complete an online questionnaire designed around the core competencies for health professionals in SA. Quantitative data retrieved from a five-point Likert scale were analysed employing SPSS software, using the one-sample t-test, factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha.Results. EMs (N=28) felt that graduates showed satisfactory competence in theoretical knowledge, communication, collaboration and professional skills, but weaknesses in aspects of clinical skills, leadership and management skills, and health-advocacy skills. The specific areas of weaknesses identified were dispensing skills, leadership, handling of criticism, handling of stress, implementing processes to improve services, industry awareness and practice management. All questions, except two questions for scholarly and professional skills, had an acceptable level of reliability.Conclusion. Practice readiness was viewed favourably by EMs for optometry graduates, but the specific weaknesses identified in the curriculum include stakeholder involvement from private employers. Increasing the diversity of clinical hours, including rotations in private practices, as well as facilitating and promoting work-based learning may strengthen practice readiness.

Examination of the relationship between information and communication technology competencies and communication skills

This study aimed to explore the impact of different dimensions of communication skills, namely competence (COMP), self-esteem (SELF), social communication challenge (SCC), and listening-speaking (LI-S) on the utilization of information and communication technology (ICT) for student support (SS) and instructional design (ID). This study implemented inferential statistical methods to explore the impact of different dimensions of communication skills on the utilization of ICT among pre-service teachers. A sample of 324 pre-service teachers from Kazan Federal University was examined, utilizing validated scales adapted to the Russian context, with data analyzed using structural equation modeling to identify complex relationships between variables and to ascertain potential differences according to gender and department. The results demonstrated a significant positive relationship between participants’ perceived COMP in communication skills and their information and communication technology competencies (ICTCs), both in SS and ID. This suggests the need for targeted training to enhance educators’ communication competencies for optimal ICT utilization. Conversely, SELF and LI-S communication skills did not significantly influence ICTCs, indicating that these elements do not necessarily result in more effective ICT use in educational contexts. However, handling SCCs was positively associated with ICTCs in ID but not for SS, indicating a nuanced relationship between different communication skills and areas of ICT utilization. The study findings provide implications for professional development programs and underline the importance of certain dimensions of communication skills in leveraging ICT in education. Further research is recommended to verify these findings across different populations and educational settings.

Evaluating the Proficiency of Science Educators in Developing and Executing Online Instruction: A Case Study of Secondary Schools in Uganda

This research delved into the assessment of the proficiency of science educators in formulating and executing online lessons within secondary schools in Uganda. Employing a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional survey design, the study developed a questionnaire to evaluate the online teaching competencies of secondary school science teachers. The questionnaire was disseminated electronically, resulting in 50 respondents within a one-month timeframe. Data analysis encompassed the use of descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The research findings disclosed that while science teachers exhibited competence in online teaching, course design, digital communication, and basic computer skills, they displayed some limitations in advanced computer skills and the utilization of Learning Management Systems. Furthermore, the study identified factors such as school location and the academic qualifications of teachers as overarching influences on the competency of science teachers in designing and implementing online lessons. In light of these findings, the study recommends the organization of professional development courses to enhance teachers' readiness for conducting online classes. Additionally, it underscores the importance of electrifying and equipping schools, especially those in rural areas, with the requisite infrastructure and resources. Keywords: science, teachers, competency, designing, implementing, online lessons

Physician-Patient Communication Course: When the Inauguration of a New Israeli Medical School Coincided with COVID-19 Pandemic.

The curriculum of the Adelson School of Medicine at Ariel University, the newly established sixth medical school in Israel, includes a simulation center-based extended course on physician-patient communication, aiming to help students master the core competency of interpersonal and communication skills. For more than a year following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school suspended most face-to-face (F2F) encounters, transforming most teaching activities to remote platforms. The paper outlines the ways we adapted teaching of this course to these circumstances, the reactions of students and mentors to the changes and results of 1st year students' survey. During the lockdown in the first year 48 of 70 first-year students participated in a voluntary anonymous online evaluation of the course assessing motivation to become a physician; perceptions, feelings and attitudes towards the communication course, and advantages and disadvantages of online and F2F medical interviews. 46.1% of the responding students reported that the pandemic strengthened their desire to become physicians. 56.3% claimed that they were able to a relatively large extent to empathize with COVID-19 patients who were exposed to the virus; 79.1% viewed their mentors as positive role models of communication skills. The students were able to receive and offer social support to their peers. They evaluated very highly the short instructional videos produced by the faculty. During the lockdown, the respondents generally indicated positive attitudes towards the communication course, the mentors and the inclusion of physician-patient communication as a topic in medical education. The students and mentors reported many disadvantages and few advantages of remote learning. Yet inevitably remote learning including online-based simulations is a step towards preparations for future practice within virtual medical care and telemedicine. The limitations of this study include the cross-sectional design, small sample size and self-reporting.

Employers Feedback on Psychosocial Counselling Graduates' Performance in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Malawi.

Psychosocial counselling is vital for addressing mental health challenges in Malawi, a low-income country in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a shortage of qualified mental health professionals, including Psychosocial counsellors. The Saint John of God College of Health Sciences aims to produce competent graduates in psychosocial counselling, but there is a lack of information on the quality of graduates and their ability to meet employer expectations. This qualitative study aimed to explore employers' feedback on psychosocial counselling graduates' performance in selected healthcare facilities in Malawi. This qualitative approach employed an explorative research design. Eighteen participants were selected purposefully from ten healthcare facilities across three regions of Malawi. They were interviewed independently using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analysed thematically using content analysis approach. The study reveals the assigned responsibilities of psychosocial counselling graduates, including providing HIV/AIDS therapeutic services, individual and group counselling, crisis intervention, and coordinating referrals. Employers recognize the graduates' competence in communication skills, empathy, theoretical knowledge, and professionalism. However, some weaknesses were identified, such as difficulties in maintaining boundaries, limited knowledge of health-related terms, and a lack of proactivity. Suggestions for improvement include teaching professionalism, incorporating health-related terms in the curriculum, following up with graduates, continuing the practicum aspect, establishing partnerships, and expanding training in evidence-based practices. The study explored employer feedback on psychosocial counselling graduates from Saint John of God College of Health Sciences in Malawi. The study to identified strengths, areas for improvement, and recommendations were made to improve the Psychosocial counselling academic programme. Implementing them can improve graduates quality and mental health outcomes in Malawi.

Challenges Encountered by ESL Students in The Development of Communicative Competence Skills in Lesotho

This study explored the challenges that undergraduate tertiary students encounter in the development of communicative competence skills in three selected tertiary institutions in Lesotho. Adopting the qualitative approach, the study employed a case study design for data collection strategies which included face-to-face interviews with lecturers (n=11), focus group discussions with students (n=100) as well as classroom observations (n=2). The findings from face-to-face interviews revealed that traditional methodologies which are mostly employed in the language classrooms because of large classrooms do not enhance students’ communicative competence. Furthermore, the findings from focus group discussions showed lack of motivation to learn English language and the anxiety caused by the fear to speak the target language. Further noted from the observations is that lack of language exposure due to scarcity of interactive activities in the classrooms may further render students communicatively incompetent. On these premises, the study thus recommends that students should be exposed to language through activities that encourage interaction. Also recommended is that lecturers should balance fluency and accuracy activities so as to improve students’ discourse, linguistic, interactional as well as strategic competencies.

Functional approach to the problem of forming foreign language communicative competence skills

The problem of a functional approach to teaching English and ways of developing foreign language communicative competence skills are considered.

Understanding the Relationship between Communication Competence and Social Media Use

ABSTRACT In the last couple of years, a high number of employers started raising concerns about the lack of soft skills in recent college graduates. Many have pointed to social media as hurting our face-to-face communication. Following these concerns, the purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between communication competence and social media use. One hundred and eighty-nine adults, ages 18 to 73, completed a survey rating their social media use and self-perceived communication competence. We measured communication competence using McCroskey and McCroskey scale, which measures communication competence in a variety of settings. The results showed that Instagram and Facebook were used for social compensation purposes, especially among participants who perceive themselves to have low communication competence skills. Generation-wise, older individuals were more competent when communicating in a variety of settings.

PROJECTING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING (CLT) IMPLEMENTATION IN TEACHING SPOKEN LANGUAGE AT SECONDARY SCHOOL

The interconnected between communicative competence and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been recognized as the most common approach to promoting communicative competence in language teaching. Moreover, it has been implemented by many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) countries involved in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the CLT implementation as performed by an EFL teacher in teaching spoken language at Secondary School. To achieve the aim, this study used a descriptive case study as a research design. The participant of the study was an EFL teacher who implements CLT in teaching spoken language. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, and document analysis. The result of the data collection was analyzed by using Qualitative Data Analysis from Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014). The findings revealed that the CLT implementation has been performed by an EFL teacher through three components. Those are seen from the teacher’s way of deciding the material, being a facilitator in the teaching-learning process, and applying teaching-learning strategies. This research indicates that the use of the CLT approach could facilitate learners to develop communicative competence skills.

Quality Control in the Clinical Medical Laboratory Based on Mobile Medical Edge Computing.

Today, the IT departments of many healthcare organizations are suffering from data storage and network speed. Doctors diagnose patients to help them out, and this treatment process needs to be well managed. Clinical trial data are the main basis for judging the patient's condition in the medical process. With the rapid development of clinical laboratory technology in China, important achievements have been made in medicine. Clinical hospitals use a large number of different types of testing reagents and equipment, and the accuracy of testing data has become a key issue for testing results. The accuracy of testing data comes from the zero error of clinical testing, derived from the rigor and operational rigor of the testers in clinical testing. This article is dedicated to the quality control analysis and research based on mobile medical edge computing in clinical trials. This article introduces the relevant theories of mobile medical edge computing technology and quality control methods, with reference to the study on the general medical students' clinical competency in problem-solving, communication skills, procedure, history, and physical examination and critical and non-critical indicators in objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). In addition, a routine testing group and a quality control group for strengthening important aspects of medical testing were designed to conduct comparative experiments. Experiments have proved that the quality control group for strengthening the important links of medical testing has a higher index than the routine testing group in all aspects. Among them, the detection accuracy rate can reach up to 99.48%, which is of great significance for the improvement of the detection link of the patient's condition and the follow-up diagnosis and treatment link.

Dental English Education for Korean Dental Students: Focused on Development of Foreign Patient-Dentist Communication Skills

This research aims to explore the dental students’ perceptions of the need for dental English education to improve communication skills competency between foreign patients and dentists. In this study, a total of 137 Korean dental school students participated and were divided into two groups based on their direct patient care experience (Yes: 44 students and No: 93 students). The questionnaire composed of 5-point Likert scale questions, multiple-choice grid questions, and open-ended questions, was administered to investigate dental students’ responses and additional opinions on communication skills in patient- and foreign patient-dentist interaction. Findings indicate that dental students were highly aware of the need for education on communication skills between patients and dentists regardless of the patient’s nationality. Interestingly, when comparing group results based on direct patient care experience, students without direct care experience showed a high need for education in patient-dentist communication skills. Surprisingly, the quantitative results of this research were also supported by their responses and the open-ended questions of the questionnaire (qualitative results). This research suggests that communication skills education in dental education plays a key role in developing the student’s competency in communication skills between patient-foreign patient-dentists. More detailed results, discussions, and pedagogical implications of the findings are given for dental English education and further potential research directions.

A Program Based on the Successful Intelligence Theory (SIT) for Developing EFL Communicative Competence skills and Reducing Academic Procrastination of Freshmen Students at the Faculty of Education

A Program Based on the Successful Intelligence Theory (SIT) for Developing EFL Communicative Competence skills and Reducing Academic Procrastination of Freshmen Students at the Faculty of Education

Clinical Communication Skills Training in Third‐ and Fourth‐Year Medical Students: A Qualitative Study

Healthcare professionals require strong clinical communication skills (CCS), yet many healthcare workers demonstrate discrepancies between their self‐rated competency in communication skills and patient satisfaction. These communication skill deficiencies may cause increased stress and anxiety in healthcare professionals, which in turn adversely affects patient compliance and long‐term health outcomes. According to the Transaction Model of Communication, communication can be shaped by social, relational, and cultural contexts. This study sought to identify the factors that influence how medical students gained CCS and how those factors evolved over the course of the medical school experience. Semi‐structured interviews of third‐ and fourth‐year medical students were conducted at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Qualitative responses underwent deductive thematic analysis using the Transaction Model of Communication with iterative open coding to identity and name themes. Results indicated that students felt there were profound differences in CCS training between the preclinical versus clinical years. They suggested preclinical CCS training, while valuable, often falls short in preparing them for the challenges of navigating real patient care. Medical students also recognized the value of CCS for safe and effective healthcare practice, but strongly advocated for changes to the current CCS curriculum, including earlier exposure to real patients, increased cultural awareness training, explicit telehealth training, and increased opportunities to practice “delivering bad news”, even in simulated settings. The findings of this study have provided new insights into the individual medical student experience, which speak to the experiences of medical students and practitioners throughout the global healthcare field. This study’s findings may be used to inform curricular changes such as increased training on select topics and earlier access to real patient experiences, which may improve students’ confidence and competency in their clinical communication abilities, thereby improving patient care.

Enhancing cosmetology students’ communication skills in Malaysian upper secondary vocational education program

<span>The quality of beauty treatment services will be evaluated by the clients subjectively whether they are satisfied or otherwise with the services provided. However, the reports and complaints related to customer dissatisfaction when receiving beauty treatment services at beauty centers are increasing. Unfortunately, the suggestions for improvement from the previous studies are still insufficient. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the importance of proficiency in communication skills and the need for training modules in the teaching and learning process (T&L). It is required to improve communication skills among cosmetology students for Upper Secondary Vocational Education Program (USVEP) in beauty arts course. The data were collected through the interview method on six USVEP teachers and a beauty salon entrepreneur. The findings of the study found that the proficiency in communication skills among the cosmetology students is an important requirement for employers in selecting their employees, increasing customer loyalty and the customer’s frequency to visit beauty salons, and maintaining the excellent performance of cosmetology students in the workplace. In addition, there is also a high demand for the development of communication skills training modules in helping cosmetology students to constantly updated with new knowledge and skills needed from time to time. Therefore, adequate training is required to improve the competency in communication skills among the cosmetology students.</span>

The mediating effect of mindfulness and self-compassion on leaders' communication competence and job satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationships between leaders' communication competence, mindfulness, self-compassion and job satisfaction. Barge and Hirokawa's (1989) communication-centered theoretical approach of leadership and Gilbert's (2005) social mentality offered frameworks to examine mindfulness and self-compassion as co-mediators of the relationship between business leaders' communication competence and job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 219 business leaders in the USA via snowball sampling.FindingsThe results showed that communication competence served as an antecedent of mindfulness and self-compassion. Additionally, self-compassion served as a significant mediator between the positive relationship between communication competence and job satisfaction.Practical implicationsManagers and business leaders may gain insights about the benefit of developing self-compassion and communication competence skills to enhance their job satisfaction via courses, workshops and certifications.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine the effect of two well-being constructs (self-compassion and mindfulness) on the relationship between leaders' communication competence and job satisfaction.

Challenges of internationalization of the Indonesian museum guides' communication skills competency

As the front guards, museum guides need to master many skills that support the role of transferring information in the museum to every visitor who comes, both domestic and foreign. More specifically, every museum guide must master foreign language skills in order to serve foreign visitors. Unfortunately, not all museum guides have foreign language skills, especially English, and other supporting skills such as curation, communication, and public speaking. This paper investigates the limited ability of English mastery and other supporting skills of museum guides in two government-owned museums in Yogyakarta, the second tourism city in Indonesia, and how far they affect the internationalization of the two museums as representatives of other museums in Indonesia. This descriptive research uses data collection methods in surveys with questionnaires and in-depth interviews with guides and visitors of the museum, both domestic and foreign. This research found that limited foreign language skills, especially English and other professional skills of museum guides, can slow down the museum's internationalization process in Indonesia.