Conference proceeding
- Theunissen, N. C. M., Melis, P. J. J. M., Janssen, N. H. E., Kuiper, H., & Boot, E. W. (2005). How to design an e-learning tool for training health care professionals in addressing subjective illness models. Paper submitted for presentation at the 3rd International Conference on Communication in Healthcare organised by EACH , 5-8 September 2006, Basle, Switzerland.
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Abstract
Previous studies showed that patient's subjective illness models relate to
the way patients manage their disorders. At the same time, it appeared that
health care professionals (HC professionals) rarely discuss these models.
The explicit addressing of subjective illness models requires specific communication
styles: for instance attention to patients' concerns and psychosocial/lifestyle
issues. Although in research settings it was shown that training is possible,
in real life practise HC professionals seldom train to improve their patient-communication
skills.
There are many reasons for this lack of training in patient-communication
skills. To start with, this kind of training is considered to be too time
consuming. Next, courses are not always adapted to specific learning goals.
Furthermore, a course is not an alternative for on-the-job situations that
need to be met in a specific time and place. Moreover, time and place of available
courses - if any - are fixed.. Consequently, HC professionals become de-motivated,
although they underline the importance of these skills as well as the importance
of continuous education.
Learning through internet offers large potential to overcome these problems.
E-learning programs can provide training 'just in time, just enough, just
for you'. Such e-learning programs should not only address specific learning
goals according to sound didactical principles, but at the same time employ
technical features for adaptation to a broad individualized audience. These
requirements can only be achieved by means of an iterative process of analyses,
design, development, implementation and evaluation. During our presentation,
we will show how an e-learning tool can be developed for training HC professionals
in addressing subjective illness models.
Keywords
Adaptation, Communication, E-learning, Educational Design, Health Care Professionals, Illnes Representations , Patient-provider communication, Internet, Tools, Training, Continuous Education
