Effective communication is one of important skills in occupational therapy (OT) practice, affecting the effectiveness and quality of therapy. Although there are only a few courses on communication skills related to OT, there is a lack of a complete, suitable, and evidence-based OT communication skills teaching programs that can effectively improve the interns' communication skills. The purpose of the study is to develop a communication skills training program for occupational therapy interns in physical dysfunction practice (COPE), and examine the effectiveness of COPE.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
216
The experimental group receives the COPE during their internships. The COPE consists of two part: (1) communication skills teaching and simulation practice; (2) clinical communication teaching: record the clinical treatment process of the interns and turn them into verbatim drafts. Experts then complied the strengths and weaknesses of the interns' communication skills based on the verbatim manuscripts and gave feedback on the interns' communication skills. The interns in the experimental group will participate 1 time of the communication skills teaching and simulation practice, and 3 times of the clinical communication teaching in three months.
National Taiwan University Hospital
Taipei, Taiwan
RECRUITINGExperts assessed interns' communication skills：Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Forms (GKCSAF)-Faculty version
The experts will use the questionnaire named GKCSAF (faculty version) to assess interns' communication skills via verbatim draft of the audio-recording. The GKCSAF contains 9 items: build a relationship, open the discussion, gather information, understand the patients' perspective, share information, reach agreement, provide closure, demonstrate empathy, and communicate accurate information. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The total score ranges from 5 to 45. The higher scores indicate better communication skills.
Time frame: during procedure
Patients or caregivers assessed interns' communication skills：Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Forms (GKCSAF)-patient/caregiver version
The patients will use the questionnaire named GKCSAF (patient/caregiver version) to assess the interns' communication skills after their occupation therapy. The items and the score range are the same with the faculty version.
Time frame: during procedure
Interns self-reported communication skills：Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Forms (GKCSAF)-self-assessment version
The interns will use the GKCSAF (self-assessment version) to assess their communication skills via verbatim draft of the audio-recording after they communicate with the patients. The items and the score range are the same with the faculty and patient/caregiver version.
Time frame: during procedure
Patients' engagements in occupational therapy：Occupational Therapy Engagement Scale (OTES)
The experts will use OTES to assess patients' engagement in occupational therapy for one week. The OTES is a questionnaire which is designed to assess patients' engagement level in occupational therapy. The OTES contains 12 items, such as "commit in therapy activities without being urged", "sustain attention until the end of one therapeutic activity", and so on. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale. The total score ranges from 0 to 36. A higher sum score indicates a higher level of engagement.
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Time frame: during procedure