Background: Patients, families, and health care professionals recognize the need for better
communication in palliative and end-of-life care. Family conferences are a powerful clinical
tool for communicating with patients and family members. Although family conferences are
often used in medical care, few clinicians are prepared to conduct them effectively. An innovative
palliative care educational model that included specific attention to family conferences
was developed and evaluated. To intervene early in the process of professional socialization,
the interactive and interdisciplinary training included medical and social work
students.
Method: A quasi-experimental longitudinal design was employed to evaluate the educational
intervention. Survey measures were administered before, immediately after, and three
months after training. Questions addressed experience, education, and attitudes about family
conferences. A standardized scale was used to measure change in students' confidence in
their ability to lead family conferences.
Results: For both professions, the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase
in confidence in the ability to lead family conferences compared with the control group. Threemonth
follow-up data suggested that subjects in the intervention group maintained these
gains.
Conclusion: This pilot intervention showed that an interdisciplinary educational approach
improves confidence in the ability to lead family conferences when students are exposed early
in the process of professional socialization. Early intervention increases the propensity and
skills needed to conduct family conferences and advances communication in palliative care.
Future research on interdisciplinary education should evaluate effects on clinical practice behaviors,
satisfaction with communication and collaboration, and patients' and families' perceptions
of quality of care.
