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The simulated case scenarios, one of a 5-year-old near-drowning victim and a 17-year-old whose cancer had recurred, take place in a simulation suite equipped with unobtrusive ceiling mounted cameras. The sessions are simultaneously shown in real time to facilitators and other trainees who comprised the ''learning team.'' This allows more trainees to observe the patient/caregiver interaction. Debriefing, videotape review and discussion with the team and actors provide many opportunities for constructive feedback, compelling learning, self-discovery and reflection.
During the first six months of the program, 40 individuals (18 physicians/physician trainees, 15 nurses, and 7 psychosocial workers) participated in the training. Two thirds of the participants reported having had some previous training to prepare them for difficult conversations. All participants reported that they would recommend PERCS training to their colleagues.
Eric Fleegler, MD, a PERCS participant, who had a real life difficult situation in the Emergency Department shortly after completing the program, offered the following comment, ''I had a patient who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to sit down with the family to begin to walk with them through the process of understanding what was happening with their child. The feedback and discussion that day was quite useful.''
The Children's team that developed PERCS includes: Robert C. Pascucci, MD; Elaine C. Meyer, PhD, RN; Jeffrey P. Burns, MD, MPH; Gerald P. Koocher, PhD; Margaret Comeau; David Browning, MSW; and Robert D. Truog, MD.
Funding for the program's development was provided by the Argosy Foundation.
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