Using complaints about communication in the emergency department in communication-skills teaching

Abstract

Introduction: Communication is an ongoing cause of complaints in emergency departments (EDs). These complaints can be used to inform communication skills teaching. Junior doctors are an important part of the ED team, and targeting junior doctors’ communication skills, including raising awareness about why patients complain, can contribute to an improvement in quality and safety.Context: Two interns, a patient liaison officer and a communication researcher, developed an evidence-informed teaching module for junior doctors. The module aimed to raise awareness of why people complain about communication in the ED and to engage junior doctors in identifying strategies at the individual and system..