Mobile Learning to Improve Clinician's Ability to Break Bad News

NCT03804918 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 18SM4947
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 17
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

Design: A pre-post mixed methods pilot study. All participants granted access to a breaking bad news mobile learning resource (VitalTips). Baseline and post-intervention questionnaires, pre- and post-intervention simulated patient encounters, and post-intervention semi-structured interviews. Objective: To assess if a selected breaking bad news mobile learning resource can improve the ability of clinicians to break bad news. Population/Eligibility: 15-20 junior doctors and nurses working within two NHS hospitals trusts and one private hospital in England. Duration: 25th February 2019 to 8th July 2019.

Conditions

Education

Keywords

Healthcare education; Breaking bad news; Digital learning

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Self-assessed Likert Scale Relating to Confidence in Breaking Bad News at Baseline and Post-intervention.

  Baseline and post-intervention questionnaires utilise a five-point Likert scale ranking of the user's confidence and agreeability with statements (Scale: Not very confident at all; Not very confident; Somewhat confident; Very confident; Extremely confident). With each participant acting as their own control, comparisons were made from their own baseline and post-intervention Likert scale ratings.

  Baseline questionnaire (week 0) followed by post-intervention questionnaire (weeks 4 to 6)

• Change in Simulated Patient Encounter Marking Scores Related to Breaking Bad News at Baseline and Post-intervention.

  The simulated patient encounter (SPE) was marked by three assessors using the validated Breaking bad news Assessment Schedule (BAS). The BAS comprises of five sections which group a set of skills relating to BBN. Each skill was marked on a Likert scale in the form of a numerical scale: definitely (positive) 5 \_ 4 \_ 3 \_ 2 \_ 1 not at all (negative). The five sections were: A. Setting the scene (minimum score 3; maximum score 15); B. Breaking the news (minimum score 5; maximum score 25); C. Eliciting concerns (minimum score 3; maximum score 15); D. Information giving (minimum score 4; maximum score 20); E. General considerations (minimum score 8; maximum score 40). Overall score (minimum score 23; maximum score 115). Scores from three markers were summed and a mean average was taken pre- and post-intervention for each section and overall. Paired sample t-test were used for analysis of aggregated scores s they enabled the comparison of means between pre- and post-intervention mean scores.

  Baseline SPE (week 0) followed by post-intervention SPE (weeks 4 to 6)

Study Arms (1)

Interventional group: All participants

EXPERIMENTAL

Given access to a selected breaking bad news mobile learning resource (VitalTips application).

Other: VitalTips mobile application

Interventions

VitalTips mobile application OTHER

VitalTips is a mobile learning application with learning on breaking bad news. Participants were expected to spend at least three hours using the mobile learning resource, ensuring that the time did not impact on their clinical and academic commitments.

Interventional group: All participants

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Working and training within NHS England and a private healthcare hospital.
• Junior doctor, pre-certificate of completion of training (of any specialty).
• Junior nurse band 5 to 6 (or equivalent) from any specialty.
• Over the age of 18.
• Able to communicate and write in English.
• Willing to engage with mobile learning resources as an additional task to their clinical role, ensuring their learning does not take time out of their clinical commitments.

You may not qualify if:

• Medical and nursing students.
• Clinicians who have completed their training programmes i.e. medical or nursing consultants, matrons.
• Retired clinicians.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Imperial College London: lead

Study Sites (3)

Barts Health NHS Trust

London, E1 2EF, United Kingdom

Location

Bupa Cromwell Hospital

London, SW5 0TU, United Kingdom

Location

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

London, W2 1NY, United Kingdom

Location

Limitations and Caveats

Sample numbers were small, which affects the interpretation of the quantitative measures (BAS mark sheet). Participants learned both from the app and the SPEs. Any change in the skill set must also take into consideration the learning from the SPEs.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr Gehan Soosaipillai
• Organization: Imperial College London

gsoosaip@ic.ac.uk

+44 20 3312 6666

Study Officials

• Gehan B Soosaipillai, BM BSc

  Imperial College London

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: A pre-post mixed methods pilot educational study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 7, 2019
• First Posted: January 15, 2019
• Study Start: February 25, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 30, 2019
• Study Completion: August 30, 2019
• Last Updated: November 3, 2020
• Results First Posted: October 12, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (3)