Effect of an interprofessional small-group communication skills training incorporating critical incident approaches in an acute care and rehabilitation clinic specialized for spinal cord injury and disorder

This study investigated the impact of communication skills training (CST) on patient satisfaction in a spinal cord injury rehabilitation setting. The training focused on improving communication between healthcare professionals and patients. The study found that patient satisfaction with communication improved after the implementation of the CST program. The CST program involved small-group training sessions for healthcare professionals. These sessions incorporated real-life scenarios and critical incident approaches to enhance communication skills. The training was well-received by professionals from various disciplines. The findings suggest that inter-professional CST is a feasible and effective way to improve patient satisfaction with communication in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. The program's success was attributed to its integration into the institution and the combination of training sessions and on-the-job feedback.

• 1
  Post-program patient satisfaction overall increased from 83.1% to 90%.
• 2
  Patient satisfaction was higher in specific communication-related topics: “receiving information,” “being able to bring in concerns,” and “being treated with respect.”
• 3
  Participants rated the seminars positive concerning the alternation between theory, discussion, and practical exercise in 91.3%, and rated the length of the training ideal in 80.2%.