Understanding the impact of simulated patients on health care learners’ communication skills: a systematic review

Medical Education

Volumn 51, Issue 12, 2017, Pages 1209-1219

  Kaplonyi, Jessica ^a   Bowles, Kelly Ann ^b   Nestel, Debra ^b   Kiegaldie, Debra ^c   Maloney, Stephen ^b   Haines, Terry ^b,d   Williams, Cylie ^a,b  

^a PENINSULA HEALTH   (Australia)

^b MONASH UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^c Holmesglen Institute and Healthscope Hospitals   (Australia)

^d SOUTHERN HEALTH   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADULT; CINAHL; COMMUNICATION SKILL; CONTROLLED STUDY; FEMALE; HUMAN; MALE; MEDLINE; META ANALYSIS; NURSING; SIMULATION; SYSTEMATIC REVIEW; TEACHING; CLINICAL COMPETENCE; HEALTH EDUCATION; HEALTH STUDENT; INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION; PATIENT SIMULATION; PROBLEM BASED LEARNING; PSYCHOLOGY;

CLINICAL COMPETENCE; COMMUNICATION; HEALTH EDUCATION; HUMANS; PATIENT SIMULATION; PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING; STUDENTS, HEALTH OCCUPATIONS;

EID: 85033491944     PISSN: 03080110     EISSN: 13652923     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/medu.13387     Document Type: Review

References (74)

1. Schmidt E, Goldhaber-Fiebert SN, Ho LA, McDonald KM. Simulation exercises as a patient safety strategy: a systematic review. Ann Int Med 2013;158 (5_Part_2):426–32.
2. Nestel D, Burn CL, Pritchard SA, Glastonbury R, Tabak D. The use of simulated patients in medical education: guide supplement 42.1 – Viewpoint. Med Teach 2011;33 (12):1027–9.
3. Bokken L, van Dalen J, Rethans J-J. The case of “Miss Jacobs”: adolescent simulated patients and the quality of their role playing, feedback, and personal impact. Simul Healthc 2010;5 (6):315–9.
4. Anderson HA, Young J, Marrelli D, Black R, Lambreghts K, Twa MD. Training students with patient actors improves communication: a pilot study. Optometry & Vision Science 2014;1:121–128.
5. Koponen J, Pyörälä E, Isotalus P. A comparison of medical students’ perceptions of three experiential methods. Health Educ 2011;111 (4):296–318.
6. Eagles JM, Calder SA, Nicoll KS, Walker LG. A comparison of real patients, simulated patients and videotaped interview in teaching medical students about alcohol misuse. Med Teach 2001;23 (5):490–3.
7. Hale LS, Lewis DK, Eckert RM, Wilson CM, Smith BS. Standardized patients and multidisciplinary classroom instruction for physical therapist students to improve interviewing skills and attitudes about diabetes. J Phys Ther Educ 2006;20 (1):22–7.
8. Zendejas B, Brydges R, Wang AT, Cook DA. Patient outcomes in simulation-based medical education: a systematic review. J Gen Intern Med 2013;28 (8):1078–89.
9. Boling B, Hardin-Pierce M. The effect of high-fidelity simulation on knowledge and confidence in critical care training: an integrative review. Nurse Educ Pract 2016;16 (1):287–93.
10. Ledema R, Manidis M. Patient-Clinician Communication: An Overview of Relevant Research and Policy Literatures. In: Science MAH, editor. Sydney: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and UTS Centre for Health Communication 2013;1–208.
11. Liberati A, Altman DG, Tetzlaff J, Mulrow C, Gøtzsche PC, Ioannidis JP, Clarke M, Devereaux Pl, Kleijnen J, Moher D. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med 2009;151 (4):W65–94.
12. Buckley S, Coleman J, Davidson I et al. The educational effects of portfolios on undergraduate student learning: a Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) systematic review. BEME Guide No. 11. Med Teach 2009;31 (4):282–98.
13. Kirkpatrick D, Kirkpatrick J. Transferring Learning to Behavior: Using the Four Levels to Improve Performance. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2005.
14. Jay M, Schlair S, Caldwell R, Kalet A, Sherman S, Gillespie C. From the patient's perspective: the impact of training on resident physician's obesity counseling. J Gen Intern Med 2010;25 (5):415–22.
15. Curtis JR, Back AL, Ford DW, Downey L, Shannon SE, Doorenbos AZ, Kross EK, Reinke LF, Feemster LC, Edlund B. Effect of communication skills training for residents and nurse practitioners on quality of communication with patients with serious illness: a randomized trial. JAMA 2013;310 (21):2271–81.
16. Brame JL, Martin R, Tavoc T, Stein M, Curran AE. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of standardized patient scenarios on dental hygiene students’ confidence in providing tobacco dependence counseling. J Dent Hyg 2012;86 (4):282–91.
17. Back AL, Arnold RM, Baile WF, Fryer-Edwards KA, Alexander SC, Barley GE, Gooley TA, Tulsky JA. Efficacy of communication skills training for giving bad news and discussing transitions to palliative care. Arch Intern Med 2007;167 (5):453–60.
18. Bays AM, Engelberg RA, Back AL et al. Interprofessional communication skills training for serious illness: evaluation of a small-group, simulated patient intervention. J Palliat Med 2014;17 (2):159–66.
19. Bokken L, Rethans J-J, van Heurn L, Duvivier R, Scherpbier A, van der Vleuten C. Students’ views on the use of real patients and simulated patients in undergraduate medical education. Acad Med 2009;84 (7):958–63.
20. Bosse HM, Schultz JH, Nickel M, Lutz T, Möltner A, Jünger J, Huwendiek S, Nikendei C. The effect of using standardized patients or peer role play on ratings of undergraduate communication training: a randomized controlled trial. Patient Educ Couns 2012;87 (3):300–6.
21. Buckman R, Kason Y, Garg A. Teaching medical students how to break bad news. Can Med Assoc J 1997;156 (8):1159–64.
22. Chur-Hansen A. The self-evaluation of medical communication skills. Higher Educ Red Dev 2001;20 (1):71–9.
23. Clayton JM, Butow PN, Waters A, Laidsaar-Powell RC, O'Brien A, Boyle F, Back AL, Arnold RM, Tulsky JA, Tattersall MHN. Evaluation of a novel individualised communication-skills training intervention to improve doctors’ confidence and skills in end-of-life communication. Palliat Med 2013;27 (3):236–43.
24. Colletti L, Gruppen L, Barclay M, Stern D. Teaching students to break bad news. Am J Surg 2001;182 (1):20–3.
25. Dikici MF, Yaris F, Cubukcu M. Teaching medical students how to break bad news: a Turkish experience. J Cancer Educ 2009;24 (4):246–8.
26. Downar J, Knickle K, Granton JT, Hawryluck L. Using standardized family members to teach communication skills and ethical principles to critical care trainees. Crit Care Med 2012;40 (6):1814–9.
27. Elley CR, Clinick T, Wong C, Arroll B, Kennelly J, Doerr H, Moir F, Fishman T, Moyes SA, Kerse N. Effectiveness of simulated clinical teaching in general practice: randomised controlled trial. J Prim Health Care 2012;4 (4):281–7.
28. Elman D, Hooks R, Tabak D, Regehr G, Freeman R. The effectiveness of unannounced standardised patients in the clinical setting as a teaching intervention. Med Educ 2004;38 (9):969–73.
29. Felton A, Holliday L, Ritchie D, Langmack G, Conquer A. Simulation: a shared learning experience for child and mental health pre-registration nursing students. Nurse Educ Pract 2013;13 (6):536–40.
30. Fiedorowicz JG, Tate J, Miller AC, Franklin EM, Gourley R, Rosenbaum M. A medical interviewing curriculum intervention for medical students’ assessment of suicide risk. Academic Psychiatry, NY 2013;398–401.
31. Gallagher TH, Pantilat SZ, Lo B, Papadakis MA. Teaching medical students to discuss advance directives: a standardized patient curriculum. Teach Learn Med 1999;11 (3):142–7.
32. Gibson SJ, Davidson ZE. An observational study investigating the impact of simulated patients in teaching communication skills in preclinical dietetic students. J Hum Nutr Diet 2015;29 (4):529–536.
33. Greenberg LW, Pedreira F, Getson P, Brasseux C. Teaching telephone management skills to pediatric residents in a pilot program using a standardized patient. South Med J 1999;92 (4):394–9.
34. Haist SA, Wilson JF, Pursley HG, Jessup ML, Gibson JS, Kwolek DG, Stratton TD, Griffith CH. Domestic violence: increasing knowledge and improving skills with a four-hour workshop using standardized patients. Acad Med 2003;78 (10):S24–6.
35. Haracz K, Arrighi G, Joyce B. Simulated patients in a mental health occupational therapy course: a pilot study. Br J Occup Ther 2015;78 (12):757–766.
36. Koponen J, Pyörälä E, Isotalus P. Communication skills for medical students results from three experiential methods. Simul Gaming 2014;45 (2):235–54.
37. Layat Burn C, Hurst SA, Ummel M, Cerutti B, Baroffio A. Telling the truth: medical students’ progress with an ethical skill. Med Teach 2014;36 (3):251–9.
38. Lin EC-L, Chen S-L, Chao S-Y, Chen Y-C. Using standardized patient with immediate feedback and group discussion to teach interpersonal and communication skills to advanced practice nursing students. Nurse Educ Today 2013;33 (6):677–83.
39. Lorin S, Rho L, Wisnivesky JP, Nierman DM. Improving medical student intensive care unit communication skills: a novel educational initiative using standardized family members. Crit Care Med 2006;34 (9):2386–91.
40. Madan AK, Caruso BA, Lopes JE, Gracely EJ. Comparison of simulated patient and didactic methods of teaching HIV risk assessment to medical residents. Am J Prev Med 1998;15 (2):114–9.
41. Mounsey AL, Bovbjerg V, White L, Gazewood J. Do students develop better motivational interviewing skills through role-play with standardised patients or with student colleagues? Med Educ 2006;40 (8):775–80.
42. Nikendei C, Bosse HM, Hoffmann K, Möltner A, Hancke R, Conrad C, Huwendiek S, Hoffmann GF, Herzog W, Jünger J. Outcome of parent–physician communication skills training for pediatric residents. Patient Educ Couns 2011;82 (1):94–9.
43. Peterson EB, Porter MB, Calhoun AW. A simulation-based curriculum to address relational crises in medicine. J Grad Med Educ 2012;4 (3):351–6.
44. Ramsay J, Keith G, Ker JS, Hogg G. Use of simulated patients for a communication skills exercise. Nurs Stand 2008;22 (19):39–44.
45. Rosen J, Spatz ES, Gaaserud AMJ, Abramovitch H, Weinreb B, Wenger NS, Margolis CZ. A new approach to developing cross-cultural communication skills. Med Teach 2004;26 (2):126–32.
46. Rosenzweig M, Hravnak M, Magdic K, Beach M, Clifton M, Arnold R. Patient communication simulation laboratory for students in an acute care nurse practitioner program. Am J Crit Care 2008;17 (4):364–72.
47. Schlegel C, Woermann U, Shaha M, Rethans JJ, van der Vleuten C. Effects of communication training on real practice performance: a role-play module versus a standardized patient module. J Nurs Educ 2012;51 (1):16–22.
48. Schwartz VS, Rothpletz-Puglia P, Denmark R, Byham-Gray L. Comparison of standardized patients and real patients as an experiential teaching strategy in a nutrition counseling course for dietetic students. Patient Educ Couns 2015;98 (2):168–73.
49. Stiefel F, Bourquin C, Layat C, Vadot S, Bonvin R, Berney A. Medical students’ skills and needs for training in breaking bad news. J Cancer Educ 2013;28 (1):187–91.
50. Supiot S, Bonnaud-Antignac A. Using simulated interviews to teach junior medical students to disclose the diagnosis of cancer. J Cancer Educ 2008;23 (2):102–7.
51. Sutin D, Rolita L, Yeboah N, Taffel L, Zabar S. A novel longitudinal geriatric medical student experience: using teaching objective structured clinical examinations. J Am Geriatr Soc 2011;59 (9):1739–44.
52. Thompson BM, Teal CR, Scott SM, Manning SN, Greenfield E, Shada R, Haidet P. Following the clues: teaching medical students to explore patients’ contexts. Patient Educ Couns 2010;80 (3):345–50.
53. Vannatta JB, Smith KR, Crandall S, Fischer PC, Williams K. Comparison of standardized patients and faculty in teaching medical interviewing. Acad Med 1996;71 (12):1360–2.
54. Zavertnik JE, Huff TA, Munro CL. Innovative approach to teaching communication skills to nursing students. J Nurs Educ 2010;49 (2):65–71.
55. Zraick RI, Allen RM, Johnson SB. The use of standardized patients to teach and test interpersonal and communication skills with students in speech-language pathology. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract 2003;8 (3):237–48.
56. Bachmann C, Barzel A, Roschlaub S, Ehrhardt M, Scherer M. Can a brief two-hour interdisciplinary communication skills training be successful in undergraduate medical education? Patient Educ Couns 2013;93 (2):298–305.
57. Becker KL, Rose LE, Berg JB, Park H, Shatzer JH. The teaching effectiveness of standardized patients. J Nurs Educ 2006;45 (4):103–11.
58. Carroll GJ. An evaluation of simulated patients as instructors: implications for teaching medical interview skills. J Med Educ 1981;56 (6):522–4.
59. Childers JW, Bost JE, Kraemer KL, Cluss PA, Spagnoletti CL, Gonzaga AM, Arnold RM. Giving residents tools to talk about behavior change: a motivational interviewing curriculum description and evaluation. Patient Educ Couns 2012;89 (2):281–7.
60. Fortin AH, Haeseler FD, Angoff N, Cariaga-Lo L, Ellman MS, Vasquez L, Bridger L. Teaching pre-clinical medical students an integrated approach to medical interviewing. J Gen Intern Med 2002;17 (9):704–8.
61. Henry BW, Duellman MC, Smith TJ. Nutrition-based standardized patient sessions increased counseling awareness and confidence among dietetic interns. Top Clin Nutr 2009;24 (1):25–34.
62. Walsh SE, Singleton JA, Worth CT, Krugler J, Moore R, Wesley GC, Mitchell CK. Tobacco cessation counseling training with standardized patients. J Dent Educ 2007;71 (9):1171–8.
63. Alexandera L, Dearsley A. Using standardized patients in an undergraduate mental health simulation: a pilot study. Int J Ment Health 2013;42 (2–3):149–64.
64. Bonnaud-Antignac A, Campion L, Pottier P, Supiot S. Videotaped simulated interviews to improve medical students’ skills in disclosing a diagnosis of cancer. Psychooncology 2010;19 (9):975–81.
65. Halkett GK, McKay J, Shaw T. Improving students’ confidence levels in communicating with patients and introducing students to the importance of history taking. Radiography 2011;17 (1):55–60.
66. Hurst SA, Baroffio A, Ummel M, Burn CL. Helping medical students to acquire a deeper understanding of truth-telling. Med Educ Online 2015;20:28133.
67. Lewis M, Bell J, Asghar A. Use of simulated patients in development of physiotherapy students’ interpersonal skills. Int J Ther Rehabil 2008;15 (5):221–7.
68. Rosenbaum ME, Kreiter C. Teaching delivery of bad news using experiential sessions with standardized patients. Teach Learn Med 2002;14 (3):144–9.
69. Turan S, Uner S, Elcin M. The impact of standardized patient feedback on student motivational levels. Balkan Med J 2011;28 (1):43–8.
70. Aspegren K. BEME, Guide No. 2: teaching and learning communication skills in medicine - a review with quality grading of articles. Med Teach 1999;21 (6):563–70.
71. Lane C, Rollnick S. The use of simulated patients and role-play in communication skills training: a review of the literature to August 2005. Patient Educ Couns 2007;67 (1–2):13–20.
72. Berkhof M, van Rijssen HJ, Schellart AJM, Anema JR, van der Beek AJ. Effective training strategies for teaching communication skills to physicians: an overview of systematic reviews. Patient Educ Couns 2011;84 (2):152–62.
73. Maloney S, Haines T. Issues of cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness for simulation in health professions education. Adv Simul 2016;1 (1):1.
74. Maloney S, Walsh K, Ilic D, Rivers GS, Osadnik CR. Cost and sustainability of respiratory medicine education in low-income countries. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2016;13 (9):1664–5.