Overview

To assist in your ability to critically observe and assess clinical encounters you will be provided a variety of observational rating forms as a guide.  This approach to your learning will depend upon your abilities to:

• Observe the process of care from multiple perspectives including body (biomedical), mind (psycho-social) and spirit (spiritual) dimensions.
• Self-reflect on what you will need to know now and in the future to provide optimal palliative care to your future patients and families.
• Have open and constructive conversations with clinicians on why they chose the particular behaviors exhibited during the clinical encounter and critically assessing on your own whether these behaviors were constructive towards providing optimal care to patients and families living with chronic, life limiting illness.
• Observe a wide range of clinical expertise varying in quality from expert to novice in order to learn from every encounter whether it is done excellently or poorly.

A major goal of the Palliative Care Clerkship Track is for you to critically assess clinicians delivering palliative care to patients and families. In particular, pay close attention to:

• What behaviors did the clinician use during the visit?
• How well did these behaviors solicit the patient and family story (expressed values and goals)?
• How did these behaviors affect the patient/family/clinician/you as an observer?
• How these behaviors promoted or inhibited the integration of palliative care into the patient’s and family’s care.
• How the patient’s and family’s behavior promoted or inhibited the integration of palliative care into the care plan?
• Developing the skill of summarizing the patient/family story (expressed values and goals).
• Discussing with your preceptors what occurs during clinical encounters.
• Providing feedback to your preceptor on the encounter.

Summary Form Assignments by Week

Week 2

• Visit Summary Form 1: Recognition, Therapeutic Relationship, and Setting the Context
• Due Wednesday of the 2nd week.
• You will receive an e-mail copy of your assignment.  Please print this out for a discussion with one of your clinical site preceptors.

Week 3

• Visit Summary Form 2: Soliciting the Patient and Family Story & Individualizing a Palliative Plan of Care
• Due Wednesday of the 3rd week.

Week 4

• You will receive feedback from another palliative care track student and give feedback to another palliative care track student, due the 4th Monday.  See  below for Tips for Giving Feedback.
• Visit Summary Form 3: Integration  Optional.  Due at 5pm of the final Friday of the Clerkship.

Tips for Giving Feedback

• Be brief.
• Use specific, neutral language.
• Make feedback descriptive, not judgmental.
• Comment on what the student has done well.
• Comment on how the student can improve.
• Ask for clarification.
• Ask rhetorical questions to deepen learning.
• If something has sparked your curiosity, ask questions!