title: Clinical supervisors' perceived needs for teaching communication skills in clinical practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lack of faculty training is often cited as the main obstacle to post-graduate teaching in communication skills.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore clinical supervisors' needs and perceptions regarding their role as communication skills trainers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four focus group discussions were conducted with clinical supervisors from two in-patient and one out-patient medical services from the Geneva University Hospitals. Focus groups were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed in a thematic way using Maxqda software for qualitative data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical supervisors said that they frequently addressed communication issues with residents but tended to intervene as rescuers, clinicians or coaches rather than as formal instructors. They felt their own training did not prepare them to teach communication skills. Other barriers to teach communication skills include lack of time, competing demands, lack of interest and experience on the part of residents, and lack of institutional priority given to communication issues. Respondents expressed a desire for experiential and reflective training in a work-based setting and emphasised the need for a non-judgmental learning atmosphere.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that organisational priorities, culture and climate strongly influence the degree to which clinical supervisors may feel comfortable to teach communication skills to residents. Attention must be given to these contextual factors in the development of an effective communication skills teaching program for clinical supervisors.
authors.affiliation: Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland. noelle.junod@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: N Junod
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Perron
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hudelson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demaurex
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luthy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louis-Simonet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nendaz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Grave
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dolmans
authors.forename: C P M
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: van der Vleuten
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011361:Professional Competence; D024382:Professional Role; D013663:Teaching