1. "You can push these conversations, but don't push your patient away": healthcare learner perspectives on virtual simulation games as an educational approach to address vaccine hesitancy.
- Author
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Doucette EJ, Pateman M, Fullerton MM, Lip A, Houle SKD, Kellner JD, Leal J, MacDonald SE, McNeil D, Davidson S, and Constantinescu C
- Subjects
- Humans, Canada, Female, Male, COVID-19 prevention & control, Focus Groups, Adult, Qualitative Research, Communication, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Vaccines, Health Personnel psychology, Health Personnel education, Vaccination Hesitancy psychology
- Abstract
Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a significant threat to public health. Healthcare providers (HCPs) can address hesitancy during routine patient conversations; however, few multidisciplinary education tools exist for HCPs to learn to engage in vaccine discussion especially considering new vaccine technologies such as mRNA vaccines. The objectives of this study were to explore HCP learners' experiences with COVID-19 vaccine communication, and qualitatively evaluate an online learning module composed of virtual simulation games (VSGs) which utilize the PrOTCT Framework for HCP vaccine communication., Methods: Three virtual focus groups were conducted from December 2022 to January 2023 with Canadian healthcare learners in nursing ( N = 6), pharmacy ( N = 9), and medicine ( N = 7) who participated in a larger study measuring the effectiveness of the VSGs. Using a pragmatic approach, a qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo to identify themes and subthemes., Results: A total of 22 HCP learners participated in this study and three key themes were identified. Across all three disciplines, participants expressed that (1) their prior education lacked training on how to hold vaccine conversations, resulting in uncomfortable personal experiences with patients; (2) the VSGs increased their confidence in holding vaccine conversations by providing novel tools and skills; and (3) participants also provided feedback to improve the VSGs which was implemented and supported the dissemination to all HCP professions., Conclusion: Although HCPs are a trusted source of vaccine information, participants in this study felt they received little training on how to engage in challenging conversations regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The introduction of the PrOTCT Framework and presumptive statements provided novel strategies for HCP to initiate vaccine conversations, especially considering new vaccine technologies and participants appreciated the emphasis on coping strategies and resilience. It is essential that HCP are provided both opportunities to practice managing these conversations, and tools and skills to succeed at an early point in their careers to prepare them for future roles in vaccine advocacy, delivery, and promotion., Competing Interests: SH has received unrestricted research funding from Sanofi and Valneva, a medical education grant from GSK, a research consulting honorarium from Seqirus, and has been an advisory committee member for AstraZeneca, GSK, Novavax, Pfizer, Sanofi, Seqirus, and Valneva. JK has been an investigator on projects funded by GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Moderna, and Pfizer, outside the submitted work. All funds have been paid to his institution, and he has not received any personal payments. He has been an unpaid Data Safety Monitoring Board Member for a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. He has been an unpaid member of the Canadian COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (Leadership Group member, Field Studies Working Party Co-Chair and Pediatric Network Lead), and of the Alberta Advisory Committee on Immunizations. CC has been an investigator on projects funded by GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Pfizer. She has also contributed to continuing medical education initiatives (by producing and delivering vaccine related education materials) supported by pharmaceutical companies such as bioMerieux, Moderna, and Pfizer. All funds, including any honoraria have been paid to her institution (University of Calgary), and she has not received any personal payments. She has held an unpaid executive position for the organization 19 to Zero. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Doucette, Pateman, Fullerton, Lip, Houle, Kellner, Leal, MacDonald, McNeil, Davidson and Constantinescu.)
- Published
- 2024
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