scholarly journals Learning to communicate with people with dementia: Exploring the impact of a simulation session for medical students (Innovative practice)

Dementia ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 147130121984579
Author(s):  
Rebecca Winter ◽  
Muna Al-Jawad ◽  
Richard Harris ◽  
Juliet Wright
Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 776-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Hobden ◽  
Mary Swallow ◽  
Charlotte Beer ◽  
Tom Dening

Swimming is a non-weight bearing form of exercise that can be enjoyable and promote physical fitness. This qualitative study investigated a local group established as part of a national dementia swimming initiative. Semi-structured interviews with people with dementia (N = 4), carers or companions (N = 4) and the organisers and facilitators of the group (N = 6) were analysed using thematic analysis. This revealed four main themes: (1) the pleasure of swimming and its benefits as a form of exercise and for building confidence and empowering participants, (2) the importance of insight and empathy in creating a safe and secure experience, (3) the impact of dementia and (4) how participants valued being part of a group ‘all in the same boat’. ‘Dementia friendly swimming’ appears to be a valuable form of exercise, but it requires considerable preparation and support to make it happen.


Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 894-898
Author(s):  
Miriam I Fein

High levels of sensory stimuli in care facilities have been shown to negatively affect people with dementia. This article describes the development and application of Resonant Silence Technique which endeavors to create a calming and peaceful atmosphere through multiple periods of silence following sound. The use of a quieting environment, subtle sound, and intentional silence is reported to help people with dementia feel less anxious, more relaxed and cooperative, emotionally appreciative, empathetic, and to improve eye contact and communication. Other positive benefits include improvements in concentration. Suggestions are made for further work to measure the impact of this approach.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 2117-2122
Author(s):  
Keelin Moehl ◽  
Rollin M Wright ◽  
Joseph Shega ◽  
Monica Malec ◽  
G Kelley Fitzgerald ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Pain management in persons with mild to moderate dementia poses unique challenges because of altered pain modulation and the tendency of some individuals to perseverate. We aimed to test the impact of an e-learning module about pain in communicative people with dementia on third-year medical students who had or had not completed an experiential geriatrics course. Design Analysis of pre- to postlearning changes and comparison of the same across the student group. Setting University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Subjects One hundred four University of Pittsburgh and 57 Saint Louis University medical students. Methods University of Pittsburgh students were randomized to view either the pain and dementia module or a control module on pain during a five-day geriatrics course. Saint Louis University students were asked to complete either of the two modules without the context of a geriatrics course. A 10-item multiple choice knowledge test and three-item attitudes and confidence questionnaires were administered before viewing the module and up to seven days later. Results Knowledge increase was significantly greater among students who viewed the dementia module while participating in the geriatrics course than among students who viewed the module without engaging in the course (P < 0.001). The modules did not improve attitudes in any group, while student confidence improved in all groups. Conclusions Medical students exposed to e-learning or experiential learning demonstrated improved confidence in evaluating and managing pain in patients with dementia. Those exposed to both educational methods also significantly improved their knowledge.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaina J. Garrie ◽  
Shruti Goel ◽  
Martin M. Forsberg

Purpose. Researchers assessed whether medical students’ participation in a poetry workshop with people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) affected their attitudes towards persons with ADRD.Objective. To add to the growing body of research summarizing the impact of nonclinical interventions on medical students’ perspectives about people with ADRD.Design. Researchers used dementia attitudes scale (DAS) and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyze participants’ attitudes.Setting. Osteopathic medical school and dementia care unit in the state of New Jersey.Participants. Eleven out of fourteen medical students completed the study.Measurements. Emerging themes were classified from the postintervention semistructured interviews and descriptive statistics were used to compare the preintervention to postintervention DAS.Results. Researchers found statistically significant differences between preintervention and postintervention DAS scores. Study participants scored a preintervention DAS mean, 107.09 (SD = 11.85), that changed positively and significantly to the postintervention DAS mean, 121.82 (SD = 10.38). DAS subdomains, “comfort” (P=0.002) and “knowledge”(P=0.01), and eleven of the twenty DAS items underwent a positive and statistically significant shift from preintervention to postintervention. IPA of the interviews yielded five primary and five secondary themes, supporting the measured statistical outcomes.Conclusion. Medical students’ participation in a poetry workshop, with people with ADRD, positively impacts their attitudes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-187
Author(s):  
Maciej Walkiewicz ◽  
Małgorzata Tartas

The goal of the paper is to describe the extent to which medical students and professionals are vulnerable to extreme stress. A select review of existing literature on this area has been undertaken, using the English-language online databases EBSCO, Medline and PubMed. The search has identified 36 citations relating to 6324 medical students and 28,285 medical staff (physicians, residents, nurses). The review indicates that merely beginning medical studies is a risk factor for stress, and that medical professionals, who are vulnerable to extreme work stress, say that they do not receive enough support from their co-workers. They are also often notably impulsive, introverted, neurotic and perfectionist, with low emotional intelligence and agreeableness, as well as low and external locus of control. Additionally, from longitudinal studies we have been able to identify psychological factors underpinning admission to a medical university that may be useful for predicting future stress in medical career. The results of this study may be taken into account when organizing psychological intervention programs targeted at educating future medical professionals. It seems that early identification of people at risk could reduce the impact of stress related to medical career and enhance the somatic and mental health of medical professionals.


2011 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 8-12
Author(s):  
Onelia G. Lage ◽  
Sydney F. Pomenti ◽  
Edwin Hayes ◽  
Kristen Barrie ◽  
Nancy Baker

ABSTRACT This article proposes a partnership of state medical boards with medical schools to supplement professionalism and ethics education for medical students, residents, physicians and faculty members of medical institutions. The importance of professionalism has been recognized by several studies, but a specific method of teaching and developing professionalism has yet to emerge. Studies suggest that there is an association between a lack of professionalism in medical school and future disciplinary actions by medical boards. However, there has been little collaboration between these institutions in addressing unprofessional behaviors. One collaborative concept that holds promise, however, is the idea of inviting medical students to attend physician disciplinary hearings. Students and physicians alike report that watching a hearing can significantly impact attitudes about professionalism as a part of medical practice. While formal research is scarce, the positive response of individual students who experience disciplinary hearings firsthand suggests that further pilot studies may be useful. Presented in this paper are the perspectives of three individuals — a medical student, a faculty member and a medical board chair — who discuss the impact and potential of attending disciplinary hearings in developing professionalism and ethics. Also included is a review of the current literature.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Bientzle ◽  
Marie Eggeling ◽  
Simone Korger ◽  
Joachim Kimmerle

BACKGROUND: Successful shared decision making (SDM) in clinical practice requires that future clinicians learn to appreciate the value of patient participation as early as in their medical training. Narratives, such as patient testimonials, have been successfully used to support patients’ decision-making process. Previous research suggests that narratives may also be used for increasing clinicians’ empathy and responsiveness in medical consultations. However, so far, no studies have investigated the benefits of narratives for conveying the relevance of SDM to medical students.METHODS: In this randomized controlled experiment, N = 167 medical students were put into a scenario where they prepared for medical consultation with a patient having Parkinson disease. After receiving general information, participants read either a narrative patient testimonial or a fact-based information text. We measured their perceptions of SDM, their control preferences (i.e., their priorities as to who should make the decision), and the time they intended to spend for the consultation.RESULTS: Participants in the narrative patient testimonial condition referred more strongly to the patient as the one who should make decisions than participants who read the information text. Participants who read the patient narrative also considered SDM in situations with more than one treatment option to be more important than participants in the information text condition. There were no group differences regarding their control preferences. Participants who read the patient testimonial indicated that they would schedule more time for the consultation.CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that narratives can potentially be useful for imparting the relevance of SDM and patient-centered values to medical students. We discuss possible causes of this effect and implications for training and future research.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine V Talbot ◽  
Pam Briggs

Abstract People with dementia can experience shrinkage of their social worlds, leading to a loss of independence, control and reduced well-being. We used ‘the shrinking world’ theory to examine how the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people with early to middle stage dementia and what longer-term impacts may result. Interviews were conducted with 19 people with dementia and a thematic analysis generated five themes: the forgotten person with dementia, confusion over government guidance, deterioration of cognitive function, loss of meaning and social isolation, safety of the lockdown bubble. The findings suggest that the pandemic has accelerated the ‘shrinking world’ effect and created tension in how people with dementia perceive the outside world. Participants felt safe and secure in lockdown but also missed the social interaction, cognitive stimulation and meaningful activities that took place outdoors. As time in lockdown continued, these individuals experienced a loss of confidence and were anxious about their ability to re-engage in the everyday practises that allow them to participate in society. We recommend ways in which the government, communities and organisations might counteract some of the harms posed by this shrinking world.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kligler ◽  
Genevieve Pinto Zipp ◽  
Carmela Rocchetti ◽  
Michelle Secic ◽  
Erin Speiser Ihde

Abstract Background Inclusion of environmental health (EH) in medical education serves as a catalyst for preparing future physicians to address issues as complex as climate change and health, water pollution and lead contamination. However, previous research has found EH education to be largely lacking in U.S. medical education, putting future physicians at risk of not having the expertise to address patients’ environmental illnesses, nor speak to prevention. Methods Environmental health (EH) knowledge and skills were incorporated into the first-year medical school curriculum at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (Nutley, New Jersey), via a two-hour interactive large group learning module with follow up activities. Students completed the Environmental Health in Med School (EHMS) survey before and after the year 1 EH module. This survey evaluates medical students’ attitudes, awareness and professionalism regarding environmental health. In year 2, students completed the Environmental Health Survey II, which measured students’ perceptions of preparedness to discuss EH with future patients. The research team created both surveys based upon learning objectives that broadly aligned with the Institute of Medicine six competency-based environmental health learning objectives. Results 36 year 1 students completed both the pre and post EHMS surveys. McNemar’s test was used for paired comparisons. Results identified no statistically significant changes from pre to post surveys, identifying a dramatic ceiling. When comparing year 2, EHS II pre-survey (n = 84) and post-survey (n = 79) responses, a statistically significant positive change in students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health with their patients following the curriculum intervention was noted. Conclusions Our conclusion for the EHMS in Year 1 was that the current generation of medical students at this school is already extremely aware of and concerned about the impact of environmental issues on health. Through the EHS II in Year 2, we found that the six-week environmental health module combining didactic and experiential elements significantly increased medical students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health issues, including climate change, with their patients.


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