Development of communication skills workshop for oncology advanced practice nursing students.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Communication skills have not traditionally been included in nursing curriculum. The best educational method to improve health care providers' practice in communication skills is first, introduction of content, followed by continuous skills assessment and mentored feedback.

METHODS:
A communication skills workshop using standardized patients (SPs) was planned for oncology nurse practitioner students. A 6-step development plan was used to design, implement, and evaluate the curriculum. Three patient cases using SPs were developed to represent a specific communication skill. SP teaching methodology is relatively new to nursing curriculum. RESULTS. Four methods of evaluation revealed a high level of satisfaction with the course, a high level of communications skills demonstrated during the course, and student need to have more communication content throughout their curriculum. Confidence in communication skills increased following the workshop.

CONCLUSIONS:
This methodology has widespread application to other areas of cancer nursing including nurses with less oncology experience and practicing nurses on the oncology units. In addition, there is application throughout nursing curriculum for undergraduate and graduate programs. The content should be presented earlier in the curriculum and then reinforced throughout the remaining courses with clinical follow-up.

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Author information

Author/s: Rosenzweig, Margaret (M); Clifton, Maurice (M); Arnold, Robert (R);

Affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, PA 15261, USA. mros(-atsign-)pitt.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education (J Cancer Educ), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-; vol 22 (issue 3) : pp 149-53

Dates: Created 2007/08/31; Completed 2008/01/24;

PMID: 17760519, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Communication
Data Collection
Education - organization & administration
Education, Nursing

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