Learning to be the patients’ advocates: evaluation of an evidence-based communication skills course

Introduction: A communication skills course to prepare nurses for their roles as patient advocates in the informed consent process was developed based on evidence from education and healthcare research, mostly from Western literature, tailored with evidence from the local context in South-East Asia. This study aimed to evaluate the course and to investigate factors influencing the application of the skills in the real setting.

 

Methods: This was a mixed method study. Subjects were 32 participants who were ‗champions‘ (opinion leaders) at their home institutions. We used a questionnaire to measure the participants‘ reactions, pre/post/follow-up test to measure knowledge, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to investigate the transfer and impact of the course.

 

Results: Participants perceived the course to be helpful for learning. The post test showed increased knowledge and the follow up test indicated retention. FGDs showed participants‘ approaches to apply the skills in the informed consent process and different areas of practice. Factors influencing implementation were similar to previous studies.

 

Conclusions: Despite strong contextual factors, a well-designed course underpinned with evidence can contribute to the desired improvement. Application of evidence from Western literature in South- East Asia should be tailored to the local context. A thorough needs assessment is necessary to explore the context.