Videoconferencing Applications for Training Professionals on Nonverbal Communication in Online Clinical Consultations

Objectives The use of videoconferencing technologies for clinician-patient online consultations has become increasingly popular. Training on online communication competence through a videoconferencing application that integrates nonverbal communication detection with feedback is one way to prepare future clinicians to conduct effective online consultations. This case report describes and evaluates two such applications designed for healthcare professionals and students in healthcare-related fields. Methods We conducted a literature review using five databases, including the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ACM, IEEE, and CINAHL in the spring of 2022. Results We identified seven studies on two applications, ReflectLive and EQClinic. These studies were conducted by two research groups from the USA and Australia and were published between 2016 and 2020. Both detected nonverbal communication from video and audio and provided computer-generated feedback on users’ nonverbal communication. The studies evaluated usability, effectiveness in learning communication skills, and changes in the users’ awareness of their nonverbal communication. The developed applications were deemed feasible. However, the feedback given by the applications needs improvement to be more beneficial to the user. The applications were primarily evaluated with medical students, with limited or no attention given to questions regarding ethics, information security, privacy, sustainability, and costs. Conclusions Current research on videoconferencing systems for training online consultation skills is very limited. Future research is needed to develop more user-centered solutions, focusing on a multidisciplinary group of students and professionals, and to explore the implications of these technologies from a broader perspective, including ethics, information security, privacy, sustainability, and costs

The role of supervisor communication on communication satisfaction of professional nurses in a public hospital

M.Cur.Abstract: In South Africa, professional nurses play a critical role in the delivery of health care. However, their level of satisfaction with communication is frequently neglected in healthcare settings such as hospitals. The purpose of the study was to explore the level of communication satisfaction of professional nurses in a public hospital in order to develop recommendations to facilitate professional nurses’ communication satisfaction. The research approach followed for this study was a quantitative, non-experimental and descriptive research design. The population of the study included professional nurses with whom a survey was conducted for data collection. In this study, the sample was selection using a voluntary sampling technique, which led to a sample size of n = 60 respondents. A self-report questionnaire with a seven-point Likert scale was distrusted to the respondents. Ethical considerations were adhered to, and all respondents were given information about the study and the option to communicate with the study investigator if they had any questions. An electronic version of a consent form was forwarded to the prospective respondents. The survey’s completion was taken as consent to participate. Moreover, participation in this study was anonymous. Statistical analysis was used to examine the data. Analyses were performed using the statistical program SPSS (version 26.0). Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted to analyse the data. The descriptive analyses were reported by numbers, percentages, means and standard deviations. Inferential statistics indicated the correlations that were calculated and interpreted. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of validity and reliability. The study’s findings revealed there was no relationship between the biographical information and communication satisfaction of the professional nurses. The findings suggested that the extent of professional nurses’ communication satisfaction at the public hospital under study was indifferent. Recommendations from the study includes the need for communication satisfaction to be audited to explore changes and identify the main factors contributing to communication satisfaction