Training in the 21st Century: Using Virtual Role-Plays to Improve Nurse Communication for Medication Adherence

NYU Langone Health26 enrolled

Overview

This study will utilize a three-phase approach that is informed by a theory-driven implementation framework to: 1) conduct a needs analysis in order to identify individual-, health care team-, and practice-level barriers and facilitators to conducting adherence counseling in safety-net primary care practices; 2) develop a virtual communication simulation designed to improve the quality of adherence counseling by allowing nurses repeated opportunities to practice discussing medication adherence with virtual patients; and 3) conduct a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the simulation on changes in: a) nurses' collaborative communication skills, b) medication adherence, and c) reduction in BP in a sample of 20 patients with uncontrolled hypertension (HTN) who are non-adherent to their medications.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

High Blood Pressure Hypertension

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 90 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * PCPs and nurses will be enrolled if they fulfill the following criteria: 1. male or female healthcare provider (MD/DO, NP, and Registered Nurse) practicing at the clinic 2. age 18 years or older. No exclusions will be made based on provider race/ethnic origin. We will oversample males to examine differential communication skills based on gender. * Patient eligibility criteria include: 1. receiving care at the participating clinic 2. having uncontrolled HTN (BP\>140/90 mmHg) at two visits in the past year 3. being prescribed at least one antihypertensive medication and are non-adherent 4. are ≥age 18 years 5. fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to give consent * Have a diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction or significant psychiatric comorbidity, * Participating in another HTN-related study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Feasibility measured by documenting total available and eligible nurses and patients approached to enroll 1 participant through final study visit

Time frame: 6 Months

Acceptability measured by % of nurses who complete the simulation