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Student Nurse Simulation to practice AIDET and Managing-up Communication Strategies

Starting in 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) starting linking hospital payment to patient satisfaction. As a result hospitals could potentially lose millions of dollars for low patient satisfaction survey scores. With so much at stake, hospitals have a vested interest in ensuring nursing students understand their organizational strategies for ensuring high patient satisfaction. AIDET and managing up are two of the basic strategies being used.

AIDET is a framework for staff to communicate with patients and their families as well as with each other. It is a simple acronym that represents a very powerful way to communicate with people who are often nervous, anxious and feeling vulnerable. It can also be used as we communicate with other staff and colleagues, especially when we are providing an internal service.

The technique of managing up is a simple, effective method of lowering the anxiety your customers are facing, and increasing their confidence in all who serve them. In healthcare, we can use this technique to do a very positive hand-off between care providers.

Student Preparation Resources

Simulation Outcomes, Context and Objectives

Outcome Context Objectives

Demonstrate ability to implement AIDET communication during patient encounters.
  • Medical Surgical unit.
  • Patient being admitted for acute exacerbation of heart failure.
  • Family members present at the bedside.
  • Novice nursing students beginning their care of the patient.

After participating in the simulation the nursing student will be able to:

  1. Initiate AIDET with patient.
  2. Demonstrate good communication with family members as well as the patient.
  3. Provide patient and family teaching about expected plan of care.

Demonstrate ability to utilize managing up communication strategies.
  • Medical Surgical unit.
  • Cardiologist is on the way to see the patient.
  • Family members present at the bedside.
  • Novice Nursing Student preparing patient for physician visit.

After participating in the simulation the nursing student will be able to:

  1. Utilize managing up communication related to upcoming physician visit.
  2. Demonstrate managing up communication with patient and family members.

Phases of Simulation

Time Patient Assessment Settings Environmental Factors Expected Learner Behaviors

Beginning Phase
(5 minutes)

Patient is slightly anxious.
BP 140/86
P 88
R 22
Having slight difficulty breathing color is pale.

Patient is in bed with head of bed elevated.
Patient has a family member at the bedside.

Student is expected to initiate AIDET communication and contract to care.
Student is expected to communicate with patient and family member the general plan of care.

Middle Phase
(5-10 minutes)

Patient is less anxious, is asking questions about care.  Vital signs remain the same

Student is notified that the cardiologist is on his way. 

Student is expected to initiate managing up communication related to the physician visit.

Ending

Patient is calm, no change in vital signs

Student is notified that their clinical shift is over.

Student is expected to do AIDET and managing up for the oncoming caregiver

Debrief Questions

  • How did it feel to use these techniques?
  • Did you feel that they reduced the patient’s anxiety?
  • Do you feel the communication technique was natural?
  • What information do you need to do AIDET effectively?
  • What information do you need to manage up?
  • What do you think you can do to make these communication strategies second nature?