Essential Conversations in Healthcare celebrates its sixth year

The Anatomical Gift Program at Elon University’s School of Health Sciences, a founding partner in Essential Conversations in Healthcare workshop, celebrated the success of its sixth event this year. This achievement is a significant milestone in enhancing communication skills in healthcare and a testament to our collective dedication.

This year, the interactive event took place at the Gerald L. Francis Center in the newly renovated classrooms. Thirty-six second-year PA students and 19 community volunteers were pivotal in achieving the three-hour workshop’s objectives.

Dianne Person, director of the Anatomical Gift Program in Elon’s School of Health Sciences, approached Allison Russo, a physician assistant on the cardiac surgery team at UNC-Chapel Hill, to co-facilitate. Russo, who benefited from the workshop as a student in the master of science in physician assistant studies program, cited several opportunities where her profession required resourcing her toolkit from Essential Conversations in Healthcare. Russo readily accepted the offer and the two expanded upon the workshop.

“Engaging in end-of-life conversations with community members has profoundly enhanced my ability to navigate these sensitive discussions with my patients and their families,” said Russo. “By practicing these dialogues in a supportive environment, I have gained valuable insights into the emotions, fears, and hopes that often accompany such topics. This experience has equipped me with the skills to approach my patients with empathy and clarity, ensuring their wishes are honored while providing much-needed support to their loved ones. As I foster these conversations, I am reminded of the importance of open communication and its profound impact on the end-of-life experience.”

Risa Hanau, clinical and community educator at AuthoraCare Collective, was a guest speaker at the workshop, noting it as an example of what everyone should consider doing: thinking about what gives our lives meaning and sharing our story and wishes with others.

“This is an ongoing gift we can give ourselves and those we care about so that nobody is in a crisis situation without an understand of someone’s wishes or someone to speak on their behalf, using their values to guide the decisions,” said Hanau.

Kate Wheatly, resident services director at Twin Lakes Community was one of the course participants and highly recommends it.

“The session was incredibly well-structured and engaging, perfectly balancing theory and practical application,” said Wheatly. “The facilitators were knowledgeable and approachable, fostering an open environment where participants felt comfortable sharing their experiences and insights. One of my highlights was interacting and sharing my experiences with the students.  This allowed us to discuss and practice essential communication skills in real-life scenarios. This hands-on approach reinforced the concepts we discussed and made the learning experience enjoyable and impactful.”

Preparing for end-of-life conversations

Recognizing a communication deficiency throughout health care, Dianne Person, director of the Anatomical Gift Program in the School of Health Sciences, came up with the idea to help people better prepare for the crucial end-of-life conversations they will have as health care practitioners and patients, fostering humility, empathy, compassion and respect.

Person expanded upon her idea to pair students with community volunteers, explaining her aim was to “help foster connections and give voice to patients, their families, and future healthcare providers.” In 2019, Person shared her proposal for the course with colleague Tracey Thurnes, associate professor of physician assistant studies. The two sought a partnership with Danielle Lake, director of design thinking, to develop a pilot workshop, which took place in December 2019.

The students and community volunteers were participants and beneficiaries of the workshop. They met the concept with appreciation, inspiration, and motivation. The profound impact of the workshop on them, as evidenced by the results of the post-workshop survey, is a testament to the transformative power of Essential Conversations.

Open and honest conversations with loved ones during a medical crisis can be daunting. A conversation skill set is crucial in cultivating a respectful understanding of healthcare decisions.The survey results from some of the PA students validate the workshop’s effectiveness:

• “It was beneficial for those who have never been exposed to these conversations.”
• “I thought it was a really valuable class to have.”
• “Thorough with a strong emphasis on interpersonal interaction.”
• “The various worksheets were helpful in guiding me to distill my thoughts.”

The following endorsements from the community participants are unparalleled:

• “Taking part in the Crucial Conversations program has been a real privilege.”
• “I always feel that I learn as much from the students as they do from me. I look forward to future programs.
• “The overall structure of the course was good. The students are quite amazing.”
• “I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Elon healthcare students as they make a concerted effort to wisely navigate sharing end-of-life diagnoses and anticipated challenges with their patients. Their understanding of the many concerns which will likely be a part of a person’s death benefits everyone.”
• “WOW! The sessions were inspiring as we shared our personal sensitive end-of life-thoughts with the PA students.  As senior citizens we provided personal insights and values that were developed over many years. In return, the interactions were so open, and we felt a genuine sense of camaraderie with the students. We still email each other!”

A few modifications later, Essential Conversations in Healthcare is an established model for presenting the need to talk effectively between patients and healthcare providers about complex diagnoses and dying. The modifications included orienting the community volunteers ahead of the workshop. The focus shifted from scripts to organic conversations between community volunteers and students. The community volunteers bring their life experiences and engage with students who will have similar conversations with future patients.

“Essential Conversations is a gem of the PA curriculum,” said Kim Stokes, associate professor of physician assistant studies, department chair and program director for physician assistant studies. “The program allows learners to further connect the humanism in medicine introduced through the AGP in the anatomy courses with the tangible needs of our community. In a healthcare system of aging individuals, this program gives our graduates true preparation for the real world.”

There is an emphasis on acknowledging that sometimes, conversations about making end-of-life decisions carry emotional weight and complexity. Essential Conversations offers guidelines, a safe space, support, and a toolkit to guide students and community volunteers through them.

Sharing individuals’ wishes for end-of-life care can make a difference in critically important end-of-life planning and how to navigate diagnoses. The workshop instills competence and confidence in providing end-of-life care conversations, helping patients and their families make well-informed decisions regarding future medical care, minimizing discomfort and fear, and allowing patients to express their personal choices.

“I left the workshop feeling more confident in navigating difficult conversations in a healthcare setting,” said Wheatly. “The tools and techniques I gained are invaluable, and I appreciate the emphasis on empathy and understanding throughout the training. Overall, this workshop was a fantastic investment in my professional development, and I look forward to attending more sessions. Elon’s Essential Conversations truly delivers on its promise to enhance communication in healthcare!”