Unit information: C4 Communication skills in 2009/10

Unit name	C4 Communication skills
Unit code	MEDIM3004
Credit points	15
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Emeritus Professor. Forbes
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Health Sciences Faculty Office
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This module will be run as a two and a half day workshop with a follow up day approximately six months later. The module will be run as a "teaching the teacher of communication skills" workshop. The actual material covered in the workshop will be determined by the participants, dependent on perceived areas of difficulty in teaching and previous experience. It is likely to cover such areas as psychosocial assessment, breaking bad news, dealing with anger and collusion, the withdrawn patient and staff support. Theoretical study and reading will be guided towards: (i) the need for effective interaction, (ii) the skills of communication, (iii) psychosocial symptoms and psychiatric morbidity, (iv) sources of difficulty in communicating with dying patients, (v) sources of difficulty in interprofessional communication and (vi) the emotional cost of care.

Aims:

The aim of the module is to increase students’ awareness of the need for effective communication in assessing, managing and supporting patients, families and colleagues by focusing on the student as a teacher of the skills necessary to achieve this.

Intended Learning Outcomes

This module will allow students to:

• revise and develop their own and others’ understanding of the psychological reactions and psychiatric morbidity which may occur in response to illness and bad news and how these may influence communication and symptom management

• reflect on their own practice and to identify opportunities for personal development and strategies for teaching in the following areas:
  • the skills of effective communication
  • breaking bad news
  • dealing with anger and collusion
  • psychosocial assessment sources of difficulty in communicating with dying patients
  • sources of difficulty in communicating with colleagues
  • staff support
  • the emotional cost to staff and self.

Teaching Information

Three study days - based on the student as a teacher of communication skills

Discussion groups based around students’ case histories/scenarios Role play/ ‘goldfish bowl’ exercises Creative and reflective writing

Assessment Information

Formative peer and tutor feedback and guidance within discussion groups/tutorials

Reflective writing around critical incidents (in combination with Medicine, Law and Ethics)

Reading and References

Faulkner A. Teaching interactive skills in health care. London: Chapman & Hall, 1993

Burnard P. Effective communication skills for health professionals. London: Chapman & Hall, 1992