TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of Training in Serious Illness Communication and Work Life Balance on Physicians’ Self-Efficacy, Clinical Practice and Perception of Roles
AU - Funding, Eva
AU - Viftrup, Dorte Toudal
AU - Knudsen, Mark Bech
AU - Haunstrup, Laura Mors
AU - Tolver, Anders
AU - Clemmensen, Stine Novrup
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Funding et al.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Purpose: Serious illness communication is a core task in hemato-oncology that require advanced communication skills and can be emotionally demanding. A 2-day course was implemented as a mandatory part of the 5-year hematology specialist training program in Denmark in 2021. The aim of this study was to assess the quantitative and qualitative effect of course participation on self-efficacy in serious illness communication and measure the prevalence of burnout among physicians in hematology specialist training. Methods: For quantitative assessment course participants answered three questionnaires: Self-efficacy Advance care planning (ACP), Self-efficacy Existential communication (EC) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory at baseline, 4 and 12 weeks after the course. The control group answered the questionnaires once. Qualitative assessment was performed as structured group interviews with course participants 4 weeks after the course, transcribed, coded, and transformed into themes. Results: All self-efficacy EC scores and 12 out of 17 self-efficacy ACP scores improved after the course, though mostly non-significant. Course participants reported altered clinical practice and perception of role as a physician. The physicians’ confidence that they could find the time to discuss ACP were low and remained low. The prevalence of burnout was high. Burnout levels were non-significantly lower after the course. Conclusion: A mandatory course of formal training can increase physician self-efficacy in serious illness communication and alter clinical practice and perception of roles. The high level of burnout among physicians in hemato-oncology calls for institutional interventions in addition to training.
AB - Purpose: Serious illness communication is a core task in hemato-oncology that require advanced communication skills and can be emotionally demanding. A 2-day course was implemented as a mandatory part of the 5-year hematology specialist training program in Denmark in 2021. The aim of this study was to assess the quantitative and qualitative effect of course participation on self-efficacy in serious illness communication and measure the prevalence of burnout among physicians in hematology specialist training. Methods: For quantitative assessment course participants answered three questionnaires: Self-efficacy Advance care planning (ACP), Self-efficacy Existential communication (EC) and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory at baseline, 4 and 12 weeks after the course. The control group answered the questionnaires once. Qualitative assessment was performed as structured group interviews with course participants 4 weeks after the course, transcribed, coded, and transformed into themes. Results: All self-efficacy EC scores and 12 out of 17 self-efficacy ACP scores improved after the course, though mostly non-significant. Course participants reported altered clinical practice and perception of role as a physician. The physicians’ confidence that they could find the time to discuss ACP were low and remained low. The prevalence of burnout was high. Burnout levels were non-significantly lower after the course. Conclusion: A mandatory course of formal training can increase physician self-efficacy in serious illness communication and alter clinical practice and perception of roles. The high level of burnout among physicians in hemato-oncology calls for institutional interventions in addition to training.
KW - burnout
KW - communication skills training
KW - hemato-oncology
KW - mixed methods study
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161448728&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2147/AMEP.S406570
DO - 10.2147/AMEP.S406570
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37283658
AN - SCOPUS:85161448728
VL - 14
SP - 547
EP - 555
JO - Advances in Medical Education and Practice
JF - Advances in Medical Education and Practice
SN - 1179-7258
ER -