Enhancing LPNs Family Communication Skills

Enhancing LPN's Family Communication Skills to Reduce Potentially Avoidable Transfers of Continuing Care Residents to the Emergency Department: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study

Start/End Dates: 2018/2019

Investigators:

Dr. Jude Spiers, University of Alberta (co-PI)
Dr. Greta Cummings, University of Alberta (co-PI)
Dr. Barbara Wilson-Keates, University of Alberta
Dr. Sherry Dahlke, University of Alberta
Dr. Charlotte Pooler, University of Alberta
Dr. A Sand
Dr. S Murphy

Funder: Alberta Innovates: College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta - Partnership Competition

Grant Amount: $15,000

Description: The aim of this study is to develop and pilot test an educational intervention using clinical scenarios of challenging conversations with families about potentially avoidable transfers of residents to the the emergency department.

Objectives:

1. Identifying communication strategies LPNs report they use when communicating with families

2. Creating an educational intervention using Standardized Patients (SPs) to reflect family challenges

3. Evaluating LPNs perceived applicability of SP scenarios to clinical situations

4. Evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing participants' self-efficacy and skills in family-based communication in situations involving avoidable transfers