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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina | OTHER |
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Effective communication in healthcare is vital for patient satisfaction, safety, outcomes, and ethical practice, supporting shared decision-making and informed consent. Simulation-based training is widely used to strengthen communication skills and foster empathy through emotionally engaging experiences.
This is a pilot study aimed (1) to assess changes in emotional state and empathy in nursing students after a simulation-based workshop (SBW) on delivering bad news, and (2) to evaluate the sensitivity of standardized scales in detecting these changes.
In this observational, longitudinal study, fourth-year nursing students (Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina - Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, Buenos Aires) attended a curricular six-hour SBW divided into three sessions. In Session 1, students discussed the SPIKE protocol for communication of bad news, and a clinical case, completing a baseline Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). In Session 2, students performed role-plays with simulated patients (SPs), immediately after which the students registered their emotional reflections (ER), completing the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals (JSE-HP), the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE) adapted for nursing communication and repeated PANAS; instructors and SPs also completed JSPPPE. In Session 3, students participated in debriefing and repeated ER, JSE-HP and JSPPPE.
PANAS is a mood scale with 20 items, 10 positive (PA) and 10 negative (NA). High PA means "enthusiastic and motivated"; low PA means "lethargic and sad." High NA means "angry and disgusted"; low NA means "calm and serene." JSE-HP is a 20-item empathy scale for healthcare settings. It measures how well a healthcare professional understands and communicates a patient's perspective. The 7-point Likert scale ranges from 20 to 140.
JSPPE is a 5-item patient-completed empathy scale for healthcare professionals. It uses a 1-to-7 Likert scale to assess understanding, concern, and perspective-taking. Max score: 35 points.
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| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Changes of emotions after the simulation-based workshop on communication of bad news | Questionnaires from the PANAS were completed by the participants. | The PANAS score was completed after sessions 1 (baseline, day 0), 2 (simulation, 1 week after day 0), and 3 (debriefing, 2 weeks after day 0). Baseline day: August 1, 2025. Session 2: August 8, 2025. Session 3: August 15, 2025. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Changes of empathy during a simulation-based workshop on communication of bad news measured by Jefferson Scale of Empathy. | Participants recorded their changes by filling out the Health Professions Version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), which was adapted for nursing communication. | Students completed the JSE questionnaire after sessions two and three of the three-stage, simulation-based workshop on communicating bad news. Session two took place on August 8, 2025, and session three took place on August 15, 2025. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in self-perceived emotions while executing the simulation-based workshop on communication of bad news | Participants recorded their self-perceived emotions (emotional reflections) by writing about their feelings, emotions, and sensations in a logbook. | Records were taken after Session 2 (Simulation Day, August 8, 2025) and Session 3 (Debriefing Day, August 15, 2025). |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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Fourth-year nursing students who conducted a simulation-based workshop as part of their communication training curriculum.
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Matteo Martinato, PhD | University of Padova | Study Director |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina | Buenos Aires | Argentina |
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| Changes of perceived empathy after participating in a simulation-based workshop on communication of bad news measured by Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy | Self-perceived empathy was scored during the communication of bad news using the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE). | Complete the JSPPPE after sessions two and three, or the simulation and debriefing days (August 8 and 15, 2025), of the three-stage, simulation-based workshop on communicating bad news. |