title: The Critical Care Communication project: improving fellows' communication skills.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based communication skills training workshop to improve the communication skills of critical care fellows.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pulmonary and critical care fellows (N = 38) participated in a 3-day communication skills workshop between 2008 and 2010 involving brief didactic talks, faculty demonstration of skills, and faculty-supervised small group skills practice sessions with simulated families. Skills included the following: giving bad news, achieving consensus on goals of therapy, and discussing the limitations of life-sustaining treatment. Participants rated their skill levels in a pre-post survey in 11 core communication tasks using a 5-point Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 38 fellows, 36 (95%) completed all 3 days of the workshop. We compared pre and post scores using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Overall, self-rated skills increased for all 11 tasks. In analyses by participant, 95% reported improvement in at least 1 skill; with improvement in a median of 10 of 11 skills. Ninety-two percent rated the course as either very good/excellent, and 80% recommended that it be mandatory for future fellows.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This 3-day communication skills training program increased critical care fellows' self-reported family meeting communication skills.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA; UPMC Supportive and Palliative Care Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh PA, USA. Electronic address: rabob@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Back
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA.
authors.forename: Amber E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Barnato
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Oregon Health Science University, Portland OR, USA; Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Portland VAMC, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Prendergast
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine & Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Lillian L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Emlet
authors.affiliation: Center for Research on Health Care Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karpov
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Translational Science Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Judith E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care; D003479:Curriculum; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D016730:Program Development; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000193:education
keywords: Communication; Critical care; End-of-life care; Intensive care unit; Palliative care; Standardized patient