Reeba Mary Mani1, Sreedevi Menon P2, Asma Rahim3, Geeta Govindaraj4, Laila K. V5, Anitha P. M6, Mohanraj M7, Hemalata8
BACKGROUND
Communication skills are essential for all practicing doctors, which can be taught and assessed by a structured programme. Hence, a specialty-based communication skills training programme was conducted among the residents of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) Department.
The aim of the study is to assess the change in attitude and perception among the residents of PMR by a communication skills training programme.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
It comprised of a data collection procedure. Here, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the subjects. It was given as a pre-intervention, post-intervention and as a second phase post-intervention questionnaire. The communication skills training programme (n=16) was conducted after a pre-test evaluation using the validated questionnaire tool. A half-day training programme using composite Teaching-Learning methods (lectures/role play/videos/check list) were included. The post-test-1 (n=16) was conducted after the training programme and the post-test-2 (n=16) was conducted after 6 weeks. All the tests used the same validated questionnaire tool with scores allocated to each item.
Settings- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) Department among the residents.
Study Design- Educational Intervention- A communication skills training programme using composite teaching learning methods.
Statistical Analysis- Analysed using SPSS-16 package software.
RESULTS
The median pre-test score of the sixteen PMR residents was noted to be 33. The median post-test-1 score of the group was noted to be 37. A significant difference was noted between the pre- and post-test-1 score, which was statistically significant Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test z=-3.249 and p value <0.0001. The post-test-2, which was done after 6 weeks of the programme yielded a score of 36, a similar value of post-test-1. The comparison of pre-test score with post-test-1 and post-test-2 scores showed a highly significant improvement in the communication skills of the residents following the training - p value <0.0001 This shows that there is an immediate improvement in the perceptions of the communication skills following the training, which has got a long-term impact too.
CONCLUSION
The communication skills training programme is useful for specialty residents. Immediate and short-term impact is possible with such programmes.
