Role Play Helps Students Learn Communication Skills

10446990_1433602153577594_3455884167795102013_nWhat’s the best way to respond to a patient who refuses antibiotics? Or one who uses an interpreter? Or a domestic violence victim seeking treatment for a broken tooth while her abuser is in the room?

Second-year students  figure it out during patient simulation sessions, where they role play these scenarios with professional actors. “The value of this is not only for students to develop communications skills but for them to be aware of the scenarios that can happen, in both a private practice and a hospital setting,’’ said Dr. Herminio Perez, Director of Student and Multicultural Affairs.

The patient simulation exercise, which began two years ago, is part of second-years students' Clinical Dentistry rotation curriculum. It helps them transition from text book cases to real-life lessons. Professional actors who have had experience in healthcare are hired to perform as patients while students step into the role of caregiver. Classmates watch the sessions live via video and offer feedback.

Last month’s sessions marked the first time a domestic violence scenario was introduced, an addition funded through a partnership with the Rutgers School of Social Work Center on Violence Against Women and Children. In the simulation, a woman enters the clinic with her abusive partner, an intimidating presence who hovers over her and tries to control the flow of information. She has a swollen check and a bruise on her neck, which is obscured by her hair.  The student’s challenge is to speak to the women alone to learn more about her situation and offer help or resources. “You really needed to establish trust in order to get her to open up to you,’’ said second-year student Christina McArdle, who observed a classmate in the scenario.

According to Perez, it was also important for students to remember to examine the woman's head and neck during the visit for signs that she might be abused. Some forgot as they juggled routine protocol with the demands of a tense and potentially volatile patient situation.

McArdle’s own role-playing scenario involved a patient who didn’t speak English and relied on a cousin to translate. She tried to stay mindful of addressing the patient rather than the interpreter and using short, simple sentences to reduce the risk of important information getting lost in translation.

Although it wasn’t easy, McArdle was grateful for the chance to rehearse for real-life patient care. “It was good that we had to deal with situations that were difficult or uncomfortable,’’ she said. “It gave me a sense of what things will be like if those kinds of cases ever come up for me.’’