E-learning Proficiency Based Progression Training Programme for Clinical Communication on ISBAR Performance (eISBAR)

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of proficiency based inter-professional communication training in an online environment on medical student's use of the ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication escalation protocol in the deteriorating patient Setting: The study will be conducted in University College Cork, Ireland. Participants: Fifth year medical students, who are scheduled to undertake ISBAR training as part of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) programme. Intervention: Participants will be prospectively randomized to one of three groups for training before undertaking a performance assessment of an ISBAR communication relevant to a deteriorating patient in a low fidelity simulation environment: HSE group (the national e-learning programme only); S group (national e- learning plus access to online scenarios and facilitator when requested) and PBP group (national e-learning plus access to online scenarios training course with in-built proficiency-based progression, and facilitator when requested). Main outcome and measures: A proficiency benchmark on the performance of ISBAR communication in the context of an acutely deteriorating patient.