Patient-Practitioner Communication

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While flipping through the April issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the article in the Topics of Professional Interest section titled “Enhanced Bedside Manner Heals Patient – Practitioner Communication” caught my eye since we are preparing to begin our clinical internship experience. It discusses the importance of practicing effective communication techniques in the clinical setting, as well as communicating as a leader.

In the article, Tony Peregrin highlights the recent program collaboration at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) between the medical school and the theater department. VCU’s Standardized Patient Program couples actors trained to play the role of patients with medical students to practice communication in the clinical setting. In a world where so much is done through computers, having the skills to communicate effectively face-to-face is especially vital. Concepts that seem simple, such as standing proximity to a patient, active listening, body language, and gestures/facial expressions, can greatly impact the patient-practitioner relationship both positively and negatively. VCU medical students benefit from these practice simulations by receiving feedback from their “patients” before stepping into the actual clinical environment for the first time.

Associate professor of theater at VCU, Aaron Anderson, PhD, mentioned that role playing isn't meant to train students to be actors in the clinical setting but rather a way to develop empathy. For members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, resources for practicing or refreshing clinical communication skills are available through the Center of Professional Development. Members of the Academy can even earn a certificate by completing the Leadership Certificate of Training: Developing Your Role as a Leader program.

For Peregrin’s complete article, it can be accessed here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24656501

Peregrin T. Enhanced bedside manner heals patient-practitioner communication. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014;114(4)529-532.
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