Effectiveness of the 'availability, current issues and anticipation' (ACA) training programme for general practice trainees on communication with palliative care patients: a controlled trial.
PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2014;
95:83-90. [PMID:
24412094 DOI:
10.1016/j.pec.2013.12.012]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new palliative care 'availability, current issues and anticipation' (ACA) training programme to improve communication skills of general practice trainees (GPTs).
METHODS
In a controlled trial among third-year GPTs, we videotaped one 20-min consultation between each GPT and a simulated palliative care patient at baseline and at six months follow-up. We measured the number of issues discussed and the quality of communication skills and analysed between-group differences using linear mixed models and logistic regression.
RESULTS
Fifty-four GPTs were assigned to the intervention and 64 to the control group. We found no effect of the programme on the number of issues discussed or on the quality of GPT communicative behaviour. GPTs infrequently addressed 'spiritual/existential issues' and 'unfinished business'. In a selection of the consultations, simulated patients brought up more issues than the GPTs did.
CONCLUSION
The ACA training programme was not effective in the way it was carried out and evaluated in this trial.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
The ACA programme should focus on the issues that scored low in this trial. Future research on GPT-patient communication in palliative care should consider using real patients in a series of consultations to evaluate effectiveness.
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