Using Standardized Patient Outcome to Measure the Effect of Teaching Asthma-Related Patient Education and Information-Giving Skills to Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Patient education and giving information is a core skill that improves patient adherence and medical outcomes. Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a teaching intervention on 3rd-year students' competency in patient education and information giving about asthma medication delivery. Methods: Students (n = 81) completed a 1-hr teaching intervention of didactics followed by role playing of asthma patient education scenarios. Using a standardized patient post intervention, patient education and information-giving skills about spacer/metered dose inhalers were scored overall and on a 12-item checklist and compared to a control group (n = 70). Students' knowledge was evaluated using a short answer test. Results: The performance of intervention students on overall patient education, 10 of the 12 checklist items, and the test was significantly higher than controls but did not approach competency. Conclusions: The 1-hr intervention improved clinical performance and knowledge, but students did not become competent. Future studies should investigate how competence in this and other core patient education skills can be successfully achieved.