Implementation and Evaluation of a Therapeutic Communication Educational Program for Nurses: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Admission to a hospital can be a very stressful and anxiety-provoking experience, as patients face many unknowns that can compromise their physical and psychological well-being. Patient-centered care necessitates that health care organizations and professionals actively comprehend patients' experiences and values, for which effective training in communication skills is essential.

Objective: This study will contribute to this field of research by evaluating a blended therapeutic communication training program.

Methods: The training consists of online e-learning that provides insights into important concepts of therapeutic communication, followed by a virtual reality patient-embodied experience shown to help nurses feel what it is like to be a patient themselves during a 1-day didactic training with experiential small groups. Theory on therapeutic communication is taught, focusing on how to use rapid rapport techniques and hypnotic and suggestive language to facilitate empathy. This is combined with practical exercises, ensuring an active learning process. By integrating these diverse blended learning training methods, the program aims to enhance nurses' communication skills, ultimately improving patient care. Applying the Kirkpatrick model for training evaluation, this prospective study will use a convergent mixed methods study design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data will include fieldwork, as well as individual and focus group interviews with the participating nurses. Quantitative data will include questionnaires that include the first two levels of the Kirkpatrick model and that are validated for this purpose. Inclusion started in April 2024, and the therapeutic communication training was scheduled for the first half of 2024.

Results: On February 8, 2024, we received permission from the authorizing body (Institutional Science Committee and NWMO Committee) to start our study. Data collection started in April 2024 and was completed by the end of 2024.

Conclusions: This study will systematically evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic communication training in the acute admission ward for patients who require emergency treatment. The results will yield insights into the feasibility and acceptance of the implementation of therapeutic communication training among nurses in an acute admission ward in the Netherlands.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/65795.