Well, you have hepatic metastases: Use of technical language by medical students in simulated patient interviews. Issue 3 (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bourquin, Céline; Stiefel, Friedrich; Mast, Marianne Schmid; Bonvin, Raphael; Berney, Alexandre
• Is Part Of: Patient education and counseling. Volume 98:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 323
• Page End: 330
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Patient education -- Periodicals; Health counseling -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; Counseling -- Periodicals; Patient Education -- Periodicals; Éducation des patients -- Périodiques; Counseling -- Périodiques; Éducation sanitaire -- Périodiques; 615.5071
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2014.11.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0738-3991

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objective</title> <p id="spar0005">This research explored medical students' use and perception of technical language in a practical training setting to enhance skills in breaking bad news in oncology.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Methods</title> <p id="spar0010">Terms potentially confusing to laypeople were selected from 108 videotaped interviews conducted in an undergraduate Communication Skills Training. A subset of these terms was included in a questionnaire completed by students (<italic>N</italic> = 111) with the aim of gaining insight into their perceptions of different speech registers and of patient understanding. Excerpts of interviews were analyzed qualitatively to investigate students' communication strategies with respect to these technical terms.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Results</title> <p id="spar0015">Fewer than half of the terms were clarified. Students checked for simulated patients' understanding of the terms <italic>palliative</italic> and <italic>metastasis</italic>/<italic>to metastasize</italic> in 22–23% of the interviews. The term <italic>ambulatory</italic> was spontaneously explained in 75% of the interviews, <italic>hepatic</italic> and <italic>metastasis</italic>/<italic>to metastasize</italic> in 22–24%. Most provided explanations were in plain language; <italic>metastasis</italic>/<italic>to metastasize</italic> and <italic>ganglion</italic>/<italic>ganglionic</italic> were among terms most frequently explained in technical language.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Conclusion</title> <p id="spar0020">A significant number of terms potentially unfamiliar and confusing to patients remained unclarified in training interviews conducted by senior medical students, even when they perceived the terms as technical.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0030">Practice implications</title> <p id="spar0025">This exploration may offer important insights for improving future physicians' skills.</p> </sec> </abstract>