title: The impact of the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop on factors influencing communication skills in health care professionals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The "SAGE & THYME Foundation Level Workshop" delivers evidence-based communication skills training to 30 health care workers in 3 hours. It teaches a structured approach (the SAGE & THYME model) to discuss patient/carer concerns. The aim of this study was to determine whether the workshop had a positive outcome on factors that influence communication skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study had a pragmatic, mixed methods design. Workshops were run in an acute hospital. One hundred seventy health care workers completed questionnaires pre- and post-workshop; 141 were sent follow-up questionnaires at 2 weeks and 2 months; and 9 were filmed talking to a simulated patient pre- and post-workshop.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From pre- to post-workshop, there was a significant increase in knowledge (p < 0.001), self-efficacy (p < 0.001), and outcome expectancy (p < 0.001). An expert's rating of behavior with the simulated patient also significantly increased after the training (p = 0.011). Motivation to use the training, and the perceived usefulness of the SAGE & THYME model, were high post-workshop. There was a poor response rate in the follow-up period; hence, the quantitative data are not reported. The qualitative data are described, however, as they give an insight into the impact of the training on staff and their patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SAGE & THYME Foundation Level Workshop significantly increases communication skills knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy of hospital health care workers who are predominantly white, female, nursing, or nonclinical staff. This suggests that the workshop may have a positive impact on some factors influencing communication skills in this group.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Orford
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whiteside
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heaven
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005260:Female; D005582:Foundations; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: communication skills; emotional support; health care; knowledge translation; patient-centered care; psychological support; training; workplace learning