Training activity information
Details
Synthesise and relay condition-and life-stage-specific information to patients in a range of consultations, using appropriate language and communication aids where applicable
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Information on specific conditions from a range of sources, appraising the value of the information obtained for the patient/family
- Communication of information relating to whole-person and life-long care
- Use of appropriate language
- Use of educational aids, information leaflets and summary letters
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
What does success look like?
- Consider how the learning outcomes apply, specifically in relation to effectively using appropriate language and communication aids to ensure patient understanding and therapeutic rapport.
- Discuss with your training officer to gain clarity of what is expected of you in relation to tailoring information for specific age groups or life stages, and the criteria for selecting effective communication aids.
What is your prior experience of this activity?
- Think about what you already know about tailoring complex medical information to different individuals, age groups, or life stages.
- Consider possible challenges you might face during the activity, such as simplifying complex genetic information without losing accuracy or finding appropriate communication aids for a specific audience.
- Recognise the scope of your own practice for this activity i.e. know when you will need to seek advice or help, and from whom. You will need to seek advice from your Training Officer when required, for example if the patient has access needs that you are not familiar with meeting.
- Acknowledge how you feel about synthesising and relaying complex information clearly and empathetically across a range of life stages.
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- Consider the specific skills you want to develop, such as communication techniques or strategies for tailoring condition and life-stage-specific information to different audiences.
- Identify the specific insights you hope to gain into how patients at different life stages or with specific conditions best process and understand complex genetic information.
What additional considerations do you need to make?
- Consider your previous experiences of communication and information tailoring.
- Consider information about the condition and its potential impact across different life stages, and which communication aids (e.g., diagrams, leaflets, digital resources) might be available or developed for this consultation.
- Consider the specific needs of your patient, including what might feel relevant, abstract or worrying to them at this life stage. Consider their prior knowledge and what their information processing needs might be. Think about how you will find out this information needs if it is not already clear.
In action
Is anything unexpected occurring?
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate whilst synthesising or relaying information specific to a condition and life-stage?
- Are you encountering situations such as:
- The patient’s level of understanding, their concerns, or their reaction to the information differing from what you anticipated?
- The patient requires information to be delivered in a manner that you had not fully prepared for?
How are you reacting to the unexpected development?
- How is this impacting your actions? For example, are you pausing to ask the patient open questions about their information or access needs and then changing your approach to language or format to accomodate this?
- Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as selecting a different communication aid (e.g., a diagram instead of written text) or adjusting language to match the patient’s frame of reference.
- How are you feeling in that moment? For instance, are you finding it difficult to relay the information clearly due to the appointment format?
What is the conclusion or outcome?
- Identify how you are working within your scope of practice. For example, were you able to synthesise and relay the relevant information effectively? Or, would your patient benefit from additional resources or support from a specific team?
- What are you learning as a result of the unexpected development? For example, are you learning from handling the unexpected interaction during this process?
On action
What happened?
- Begin by summarising the key steps you took when synthesising complex condition information and relaying it, especially how you tailored it to the patient’s life stage and individual circumstances.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions which felt important, such as the patient’s emotional response to information about future implications, or their reaction to communication styles or aids.
- Include any ‘reflect-in-action’ moments where you had to adapt to the situation as it unfolded, for instance, noticing that a patient seems confused and offering them visual aids or genetic explanations linked to their family story, to help communicate the impact of inheriting a gene variant.
- How did you feel during this experience, e.g., did you feel challenged by ensuring the patient grasped the condition’s long-term implications without overwhelming them?
How has this experience contributed to your developing practice?
- Identify what learning you can take from this experience regarding tailoring complex information to life stage. What strengths did you demonstrate, e.g., effective use of appropriate language and communication aids?
- What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident, e.g., difficulty anticipating or addressing concerns related to a distant life stage consequence?
- Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar activities, for example, has your practice improved in managing emotional responses when discussing future disease progression, or handling familial consults?
- Identify any challenges you experienced.
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- Identify the actions or ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt, including from any feedback you have received, with regards to refining your ability to relay condition- and life-stage-specific information.
- What will you do differently next time you approach tailoring information, for instance, by proactively preparing tiered content on condition progression for all major life stages before the consultation?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of the activity further, such as using specific communication aids for complex concepts or key learning outcomes related to understanding the clinical course of inherited diseases?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- How have your subsequent experiences led you to revisit your initial approach or decisions during that activity? For example, how a subsequent consultation requiring detailed discussion of the transition to adult care for a chronic condition may have prompted you to re-evaluate the effectiveness of your communication aids and language tailoring during your first attempt at this training activity.
- Considering what you understand about tailoring language to patient needs, how have you adapted your communication technique? For example, how you proactively developed a portfolio of visual aids, or routinely ensuring that younger patients are offered a face-to-face appointment.
- Has discussing challenging communication scenarios across different life stages or the impact of insensitive phrasing on patient anxiety with colleagues, peers, or supervisors changed how you now view your initial experience in this training activity?
How have these experiences impacted upon current practice?
- How has the learning from this initial training activity, in combination with subsequent experiences contributed to your overall confidence and ability in discussing long-term prognosis and tailoring communication for complex conditions?
- Looking holistically at your training journey, how has this initial life-stage communication experience, revisited with your current perspective, contributed to your development in meeting the learning outcomes related to decision-making and communication? For example, how this foundational experience has supported your development in demonstrating effective and sensitive patient communication throughout the lifespan.
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Apply counselling skills to lead consultations involving genomic testing in complex scenarios. |
| # 3 |
Outcome
Discuss rare and complex genetic and genomic conditions with patients, tailoring communication to ensure the needs of the patient are met. |