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How to Teach Communication Skills for Palliative Care Conversations

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Abstract

Effective communication related to serious illness can improve patient and family satisfaction, quality of life and adaptive coping, while also decreasing symptoms of depression and PTSD. Additionally, when patients have a better understanding of their situation and their providers know and respect their values, healthcare quality improves with decreased use of non-beneficial treatments. Therefore, it’s crucial that all healthcare professionals are proficient in fundamental palliative care communication skills. This chapter outlines key components of these conversations and strategies on how to engage learners and prepare them for success.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington Medical Center, 325 9th Avenue, Box 359755, Seattle, WA, 98104-2499, USA

    Caroline J. Hurd MD

  2. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, 325 9th Avenue, Box 359762, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    J. Randall Curtis MD, MPH

Authors
  1. Caroline J. Hurd MD
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  2. J. Randall Curtis MD, MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caroline J. Hurd MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Internal Medicine Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Somnath Mookherjee

  2. Department of Medicine, University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

    Ellen M. Cosgrove

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Hurd, C.J., Curtis, J.R. (2016). How to Teach Communication Skills for Palliative Care Conversations. In: Mookherjee, S., Cosgrove, E. (eds) Handbook of Clinical Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33193-5_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33193-5_22

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-33191-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-33193-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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