title: Human simulators and standardized patients to teach difficult conversations to interprofessional health care teams.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To design and implement a demonstration project to teach interprofessional teams how to recognize and engage in difficult conversations with patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interdisciplinary teams consisting of pharmacy students and residents, student nurses, and medical residents responded to preliminary questions regarding difficult conversations, listened to a brief discussion on difficult conversations; formed ad hoc teams and interacted with a standardized patient (mother) and a human simulator (child), discussing the infant's health issues, intimate partner violence, and suicidal thinking; and underwent debriefing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants evaluated the learning methods positively and a majority demonstrated knowledge gains. The project team also learned lessons that will help better design future programs, including an emphasis on simulations over lecture and the importance of debriefing on student learning. Drawbacks included the major time commitment for design and implementation, sustainability, and the lack of resources to replicate the program for all students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simulation is an effective technique to teach interprofessional teams how to engage in difficult conversations with patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Pharmacy, 2464 Charlotte Street, Room 4250, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA. markenp@umkc.edu
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Marken
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schremmer
authors.forename: Katharine V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D058015:Health Communication; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare / Q000523:psychology; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008348:Manikins; D008923:Missouri; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires