Evaluation of communication skills from a 360° perspective at simulated Tele-rehabilitation scenarios

Abstract

Background: Communication skills (CS) are competencies required by health professionals. Clinical simulation with a simulated/standardized patient (SP) is a good resource for teaching this skill. However, it requires trained teachers to guide the process. Not all teachers have this training. HC short evaluation instruments are required to develop a structured observation during the activity, especially those that can be applied by all the participants to guide and understand the process from a broader perspective. Aim: Validate a short HC assessment questionnaire to evaluate these skills from a 360° analysis, i.e., from the learner, facilitator/teacher, and PS perspective. Method: A brief HC questionnaire was created, subjected to construct and content validity, and thus applied to 40 Kinesiology undergraduate students, facilitator/teacher, and PS during a simulated teleconsultation scenario. We analyzed the result of the communication by descriptive statistics, Lashe, Cronbach, KMO, Bartlett, IVC, Fisher and Cohen tests, and exploratory factorial analysis. Results: The questionnaire showed content validity for 5 of 6 items. Construct validity with commonalities over 50% for each item. With good reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.79). We found high levels of HC in the students, but the concordance between observers was weak (Cohen's Kappa < 0.4). Conclusion: The short questionnaire for HC is a valid assessment tool during clinical simulation. Incorporating the views and perceptions of all the simulation participants can improve the understanding of health communication. (Rev Med Chile 2023; 151: 510-517)