Healthcare professionals' experiences of the Four Habits Model communication course: a qualitative and survey approach to evaluate impact in an intermediate care setting.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate healthcare professionals' (HCPs') experiences with the simulation-based Four Habits Model (4HM) course programme and evaluate how they perceived the 4HM's immediate and persistent significance for practice within the intermediate care (IC) context.

DESIGN

A qualitative approach was combined with a survey design, structured within an exploratory sequential framework consisting of two phases: (1) focus group interviews with HCPs who had completed the course 2-4 weeks postcourse (n=11), and (2) a detailed questionnaire completed 4 months postcourse (n=14).

SETTING AND INTERVENTION

IC serves as a bridge in the patient pathway from hospital to home providing community-based rehabilitation. The 4HM is a well-established framework for improving clinical communication in healthcare. However, it has never been tested in IC. We conducted two 4HM courses in April 2023 at an IC institution in Norway's capital.

PARTICIPANTS

The study involved clinical HCPs (n=15) working in IC, participating in the 4HM courses, and consisted of seven nursing assistants, five nurses and three therapists.

RESULTS

The HCPs experienced the 4HM course to be important and useful for practice in the IC context. They perceived that the easy-to-use framework could be applied in many patient-HCP interactions, had the potential to frame the 'what matters to you' question and increase satisfaction among patients and relatives. The survey conducted after 4 months disclosed that participants believed they had acquired and applied new communication skills.

CONCLUSION

The 4HM provided a structured framework for interactions in the IC context, enhancing professionalism and streamlining daily tasks. Overall, the model fostered patient participation through improved communication skills. The findings could assist stakeholders, HCPs and IC service managers in developing educational programmes for HCPs to enhance communication skills and improve the quality of care for older patients in transitional care.