Communication skills: a scoping review of experiences, perceptions and use in dietetic practice

TY - JOUR

T1 - Communication skills

T2 - a scoping review of experiences, perceptions and use in dietetic practice

AU - Knight, Annemarie

AU - Palermo, Claire

AU - Reedy, Gabriel

AU - Whelan, Kevin

N1 - Copyright © 2023 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2023/12/23

Y1 - 2023/12/23

N2 - BACKGROUND: Communication skills are a cornerstone of practice for dietitians. The dietetic profession is evolving and there is a need to synthesize the available literature on communication skills to improve the effectiveness of patient consultations and inform practitioner development.OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to identify the research literature relating to communication skills used in dietetic practice and perceptions and experiences of student dietitians, dietitians, and patients regarding communication skills.METHODS: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and best practice guidance. Five databases (Medline; EMBASE; CINAHL; ERIC; and PsycInfo); two theses databases and conference proceedings for eight dietetic and health professions education associations were systematically searched for research on dietitians' communication skills. This included skills used in dietitian-patient communication, in communication interactions in different employment contexts, and diverse forms of communication (verbal, written, technological) and the views of student dietitians, dietitians, and patients, regarding communication skills. The search had no geographical or time limits. Studies were independently screened by two authors.RESULTS: The 70 included studies spanned 45 years and were organized into four thematic categories (i) importance of communication skills in dietetic practice; (ii) development of communication skills; (iii) communication skills for dietitian-patient communication; and (iv) communication skills for wider dietetic practice. 65 (92.9%) of the studies specifically explored the communication skills used for dietitian-patient consultations, including rapport building, questioning, listening, paraphrasing and clarifying, whereas skills such as intercultural communication were less researched.CONCLUSIONS: There is consensus between patients and dietitians regarding the skills that contribute to effective dietitian-patient communication. Areas less explored in the literature include the skills needed for intercultural communication and those needed for science communication. Greater understanding of the communication skills needed for contemporary dietetic practice will guide education strategies for the development of dietitians.

AB - BACKGROUND: Communication skills are a cornerstone of practice for dietitians. The dietetic profession is evolving and there is a need to synthesize the available literature on communication skills to improve the effectiveness of patient consultations and inform practitioner development.OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to identify the research literature relating to communication skills used in dietetic practice and perceptions and experiences of student dietitians, dietitians, and patients regarding communication skills.METHODS: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and best practice guidance. Five databases (Medline; EMBASE; CINAHL; ERIC; and PsycInfo); two theses databases and conference proceedings for eight dietetic and health professions education associations were systematically searched for research on dietitians' communication skills. This included skills used in dietitian-patient communication, in communication interactions in different employment contexts, and diverse forms of communication (verbal, written, technological) and the views of student dietitians, dietitians, and patients, regarding communication skills. The search had no geographical or time limits. Studies were independently screened by two authors.RESULTS: The 70 included studies spanned 45 years and were organized into four thematic categories (i) importance of communication skills in dietetic practice; (ii) development of communication skills; (iii) communication skills for dietitian-patient communication; and (iv) communication skills for wider dietetic practice. 65 (92.9%) of the studies specifically explored the communication skills used for dietitian-patient consultations, including rapport building, questioning, listening, paraphrasing and clarifying, whereas skills such as intercultural communication were less researched.CONCLUSIONS: There is consensus between patients and dietitians regarding the skills that contribute to effective dietitian-patient communication. Areas less explored in the literature include the skills needed for intercultural communication and those needed for science communication. Greater understanding of the communication skills needed for contemporary dietetic practice will guide education strategies for the development of dietitians.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.008

DO - 10.1016/j.jand.2023.12.008

M3 - Article

C2 - 38142740

SN - 2212-2672

JO - Journal of the academy of nutrition and dietetics

JF - Journal of the academy of nutrition and dietetics

ER -