Journal of Medical Education Development (Sep 2024)

The effect of a COMSKIL-based education program on nursing students' communication skills during the COVID-19 pandemic: A quasi-experimental study

  • Maryam Sedaghati kesbakhi,
  • Leila Hosseini Tabaghdehi,
  • Simin Arab,
  • Camelia Rohani

DOI
https://doi.org/10.61186/edcj.17.55.21
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 55
pp. 21 – 30

Abstract

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Background & Objective: Therapeutic communication with patients is one of the most critical competencies for nursing students in clinical settings. In this study, we investigated the impact of an online education program based on the COMSKIL model on the communication skills of undergraduate nursing students. Material & Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved presenting a specific education program based on the COMSKIL model to a group of undergraduate nursing students in the 4th to 8th academic semesters. The program was delivered through the online platform of the university during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected at three time points: baseline (T1), immediately after education (T2), and two months after education (T3). Two instruments were used to collect data: a sociodemographic information questionnaire and a Persian version of the Quindam Communication Skills Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent t tests, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The study's hypothesis was accepted, showing that the education program had a positive impact on the communication skills of the students over time. The total mean score of students' communication skills significantly improved (p < 0.0001) from T1 (107.91 ± 7.53) to T3 (121.76 ± 4.91) two months after the education program. The effect size indicated that this increase was moderate. Conclusion: The findings of this study have practical implications for nursing students in real-world patient care scenarios in clinical settings. The innovative and evidence-based educational model used in this study can replace outdated methods of instruction. Given that effective communication between nurses and patients is vital for providing high-quality patient care in a supportive environment, we recommend integrating this person-centered program into the curriculum planning of undergraduate nursing students.

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