Table 6 Category 3 – Training methods

Theme 1: Person-centered communication skills

“Communication is the number one ingredient in every way shape and form in their connection with the patient” (Participant 34).

“Don’t be condescending. I mean you can be calming without kind of feeling like you’re talking down to them. Just speak to them normal…we tend to do that to people who are sick, we start whispering, we start treating them different and it’s the worst thing. Just be open, because in my experience, that’s what people want…. listen to what’s underneath what they’re saying .” (Participant 23)

“Be prepared to listen to what they have to say” (Participant 36).

Theme 2: Reflective practice

“To really think first and really stop and think about the situation, if this was me or if this was my mom or if this were that, or maybe go back to a time where I had a moment that was uncomfortable to me and what I felt like, to really before you just go there” (Participant 27).

“We learn from experience, and so if we can somehow get them in an awkward situation, where that person is not hearing what they’re saying and is going off on different things and then the vice versa, Having students sit in a difficult situation and having someone listen and stop and comprehend and help them address, I think those things are very teachable.” (Participant 10)

“We’re changeable, and you know, first you have to know where people come from” (Participant 8).

Theme 3: Compassionate role modeling

“It’s not just the communication courses, people also need to see compassion demonstrated” (Participant 48).

“Role playing would be one way which you could do that, you would have your exemplar, and have them mimic, copy those particular kinds of behaviors” (Participant 51).

“Showing people that here's how somebody's reacting to a person or something and show them that this is you know, you just made the patient feel like he's a burden to you now. That the patient isn't there because he wants to be, he’s there because he's sick and he needs your help. And you're there to give him that help, that’s why you're there.” (Participant 33)

“I think you can do your best to you know show examples of what compassion could look like” (Participant 25).