Author:
Soni Sujata,Hall Ian,Doulton Phill,Bowie Peter
Abstract
Purpose
– It is widely recognised that people with intellectual disabilities receive a poorer quality of healthcare than their non-disabled counterparts. Training for healthcare professionals in intellectual disability is often scant or non-existent. The purpose of this paper is to explore the usefulness of employing actors with intellectual disabilities as simulated patients in the assessment of trainee psychiatrists.
Design/methodology/approach
– The development of a structured clinical exam “station” designed to assess the ability of trainee psychiatrists to communicate with a simulated patient played by an actor with an intellectual disability is described. The paper also assesses the potential benefits of this kind of assessment and the experience of actors and examiners taking part in this process.
Findings
– The station was found to perform well in discriminating between candidates of various abilities and was well received by actors, examiners and observers. The station is now routinely used in the formal assessment of trainee psychiatrists.
Practical implications
– The use of people with intellectual disabilities in training and assessment appears to be advantageous in terms of improving knowledge, attitudes and skills amongst healthcare professionals and gives increased opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to undertake valued social roles.
Originality/value
– Few institutions currently employ actors with intellectual disabilities as simulated patients as part of their training programmes and as a result there is little in the way of literature on this subject. This paper describes an alternative approach to teaching and assessment which falls in line with recommendations from the Department of Health to involve service users in the training of healthcare professionals.
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health
Reference15 articles.
1. CIPOLD
(2013), “Confidential inquiry into premature deaths of people with learning disabilities final report”, University of Bristol, available at: www.bristol.ac.uk/cipold/fullfinalreport.pdf (accessed 25 March 2014).
2. Department of Health
(1999), The National Service Framework for Mental Health, Department of Health, London.
3. Eddey, G.
,
Robey, K.
and
McConnell, J.
(1998), “Cognition, confidence and clinical skills”, Academic Medicine, Vol. 73 No. 10, pp. 106-8.
4. Hall, I.
and
Hollins, S.
(1996), “Changing medical students’ attitudes to learning disability”, Psychiatric Bulletin, Vol. 20, pp. 429-30.
5. Harden, R.
,
Stevenson, M.
,
Downie, W.
and
Wilson, G.
(1975), “Assessment of clinical competence using objective structured examination”, British Medical Journal, Vol. 1 No. 5955, pp. 447-51.
Cited by
4 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献