Suzanne Kurtz - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Suzanne Kurtz

Research paper thumbnail of Principles of designing communication skills curricula

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing a curriculum: the wider context

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Running a session: introducing research and theory; expanding and consolidating learning

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Running a session: facilitation tools to maximise participation and learning

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of The ‘why’: a rationale for communication skills teaching and learning

Research paper thumbnail of Choosing and using appropriate teaching methods

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing learners’ communication skills

Research paper thumbnail of Transforming Healthcare: A framework of implementation through attention to values

Research paper thumbnail of Explanation and planning

Research paper thumbnail of Calf care personnel on dairy farms and their educational opportunities

Journal of Dairy Science, 2019

As dairy herd sizes become larger and the organization of the business more complex, targeting co... more As dairy herd sizes become larger and the organization of the business more complex, targeting communication and education to enhance animal care becomes more difficult. The purpose of this study was to describe selected demographics of calf care employees on large (>500 animals) and small (<501 animals) dairy farms that raise their own calves. Two to 8 individuals per farm involved with calf care, including owners, veterinarians, and calf managers, feeders, and treaters, were interviewed in either English or Spanish. Interviews were conducted in person on 53 dairy farms located in Arizona, Idaho, New York, Oregon, and Washington State. The number of preweaned calves on the farm ranged from 9 to 1,500 (median = 93). A total of 224 individuals were interviewed across 8 job titles. As farm size increased, personnel structure became more complex. Farms with >100 preweaned calves were 15 times more likely to have a calf manager title compared with farms with ≤100 preweaned calves. Eight farms designated the same person as calf manager, treater, and feeder, all with ≤100 preweaned calves. Thirty-two (60%) of the farms had at least 1 full-time calf feeder. Almost 30% of owners and over 40% of veterinarians interviewed were over 50 yr of age, whereas over 40% of the calf managers, feeders, and treaters were under 30 yr of age. Seventy-three percent of feeders and 72% of treaters spoke Spanish at home. For languages in which interviewees were comfortable speaking, more than 30% of owners and 33% of veterinarians were comfortable communicating in Spanish. For calf care employees, 60% of calf managers, 42% of feeders, and 38% of treaters were bilingual (English and Spanish), but most (72%) preferred to be interviewed in Spanish. The level of education varied by job title for those interviewed, but most of the calf care team had high school or less education. However, some diversity was observed in educational background within job title with almost 38% of the calf managers having at least some college education. The majority of feeders (88%) and treaters (83%) reported being trained by another employee and 66 and 58%, respectively, had not received any continuing education in the previous year. With the amount of diversity seen on these farms, understanding employees' educational backgrounds, language, and generational differences may be valuable when developing training for new procedures for animal health or other aspects of animal care.

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Dairy Organizational Communication from the Veterinarian's Perspective: Results of a Continuing Veterinary Medical Education Pilot Program

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2016

The increasing size and complexity of US dairy farms could make it more difficult for a veterinar... more The increasing size and complexity of US dairy farms could make it more difficult for a veterinary practitioner to effectively communicate protocol recommendations for prevention or treatment on the farm. A continuing education workshop was set up based on the results of research on dairy organizational communication on dairy farms, which resulted in a tool to assess dairy communication structure and flow. The workshop specifically focused on communication structure and whom to talk to when implementing health care changes in calf rearing. In addition, modern methods of veterinary–client communication knowledge and skills were provided. Primary outcomes of the workshops were to obtain feedback from participants about research findings and the communication model, to improve awareness about the complexity of communication structures on dairy farms, and to change participants' knowledge and skills associated with on-farm communication by providing communication theory and skills a...

Research paper thumbnail of Translating Healthcare Values into Action: An International, Interprofessional Collaboration

Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: an interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare

Patient education and counseling, 2014

The human dimensions of healthcare--core values and skilled communication necessary for every hea... more The human dimensions of healthcare--core values and skilled communication necessary for every healthcare interaction--are fundamental to compassionate, ethical, and safe relationship-centered care. The objectives of this paper are to: describe the development of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare which delineates core values, articulate the role of skilled communication in enacting these values, and provide examples showing translation of the Charter's values into action. We describe development of the Charter using combined qualitative research methods and the international, interprofessional collaboration of institutions and individuals worldwide. We identified five fundamental categories of human values for every healthcare interaction--Compassion, Respect for Persons, Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Practice, Commitment to Excellence, and Justice in Healthcare--and delineated subvalues within each category. We have disseminated the Charter internati...

Research paper thumbnail of Building on Existing Models from Human Medical Education to Develop a Communication Curriculum in Veterinary Medicine

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006

Communication is a core clinical skill of veterinary medicine and one that needs to be taught and... more Communication is a core clinical skill of veterinary medicine and one that needs to be taught and learned to the same degree as other clinical skills. To provide this education and essential expertise, veterinary schools in many countries, especially including North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have begun to develop programs and communication curricula. Human medical education, however, has 30 years’ experience in developing communication curricula, and is thus an excellent resource upon which veterinary educators can build and shape their own communication programs. This article describes a skills-based communication course that has been successfully implemented for veterinary medical education at Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and was based on the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine's well-established program. The Calgary-Cambridge Guides and supporting textbooks provide the scaffolding for teaching, learning, and evaluation in both programs. Resources s...

Research paper thumbnail of Problem-based learning: An alternative approach to legal education

Dalhousie LJ, 1990

Suzanne Kurtz, Problem-Based Learning: Michael Wylie, An Alternative Approach Neil Gold* To Legal... more Suzanne Kurtz, Problem-Based Learning: Michael Wylie, An Alternative Approach Neil Gold* To Legal Education I. Introduction This paper is intended to provide legal educators with an introduction to problem-based learning. Problem-based learning has several variations and each of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching and Learning Communication in Veterinary Medicine

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006

Drawing on extensive evidence and experience in human medicine, this article offers a practical c... more Drawing on extensive evidence and experience in human medicine, this article offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking more precisely about how to teach and learn communication systematically and intentionally in veterinary medicine. The overarching goal is to promote the development of communication programs so as to improve communication in veterinary practice to a professional level of competence. A three-part conceptual framework is presented that first explores the rationale behind teaching and learning communication, including the evidence base regarding the impact of communication on clinician–client interactions and outcomes of care and the research on teaching and learning communication skills in medicine. The second part considers four ways to conceptualize what to teach and learn, as explicated by (a) the domains of communication in veterinary medicine; (b) “first principles” of effective communication; (c) evidence-based goals or outcomes for communication pro...

Research paper thumbnail of La Comunicación Médico-Paciente: Habilidades Basadas en La Evidencia

Métodos: Se describe los “outcomes” o logros descritos en la literatura que son el resultado de u... more Métodos: Se describe los “outcomes” o logros descritos en la literatura que son el resultado de una comunicación efectiva. Se explora los “primeros principios” de la comunicación eficaz y se incluye una reseña del contexto histórico que ha influido significativamente en ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Human Dimensions of Care: Enhancing Communication and Compassion in Healthcare

Research paper thumbnail of Vaardig communiceren in de gezondheidszorg; een evidence-based benadering

Tijdschrift voor Medisch Onderwijs, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Doctor-patient communication: principles and practices

The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques, 2002

In a formal needs assessment, conducted prior to the Canadian Headache Society's recent natio... more In a formal needs assessment, conducted prior to the Canadian Headache Society's recent national continuing education workshop, participants expressed particular enthusiasm for enhancing their own communication skills or their teaching of those skills. Responding to both interests, this paper offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking systematically about how to improve physician-patient communication to a professional level of competence. The three-part, evidence-based framework first defines communication in medicine in terms of five underlying assumptions about communication and the learning of communication skills. It then discusses three categories of communication skills (content, process, and perceptual skills) and six goals that physicians and patients work to achieve through their communication with each other. The second part of the framework explores "first principles" of effective communication and includes a brief look at the historical context t...

Research paper thumbnail of Principles of designing communication skills curricula

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Constructing a curriculum: the wider context

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Running a session: introducing research and theory; expanding and consolidating learning

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Running a session: facilitation tools to maximise participation and learning

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of The ‘why’: a rationale for communication skills teaching and learning

Research paper thumbnail of Choosing and using appropriate teaching methods

Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Assessing learners’ communication skills

Research paper thumbnail of Transforming Healthcare: A framework of implementation through attention to values

Research paper thumbnail of Explanation and planning

Research paper thumbnail of Calf care personnel on dairy farms and their educational opportunities

Journal of Dairy Science, 2019

As dairy herd sizes become larger and the organization of the business more complex, targeting co... more As dairy herd sizes become larger and the organization of the business more complex, targeting communication and education to enhance animal care becomes more difficult. The purpose of this study was to describe selected demographics of calf care employees on large (>500 animals) and small (<501 animals) dairy farms that raise their own calves. Two to 8 individuals per farm involved with calf care, including owners, veterinarians, and calf managers, feeders, and treaters, were interviewed in either English or Spanish. Interviews were conducted in person on 53 dairy farms located in Arizona, Idaho, New York, Oregon, and Washington State. The number of preweaned calves on the farm ranged from 9 to 1,500 (median = 93). A total of 224 individuals were interviewed across 8 job titles. As farm size increased, personnel structure became more complex. Farms with >100 preweaned calves were 15 times more likely to have a calf manager title compared with farms with ≤100 preweaned calves. Eight farms designated the same person as calf manager, treater, and feeder, all with ≤100 preweaned calves. Thirty-two (60%) of the farms had at least 1 full-time calf feeder. Almost 30% of owners and over 40% of veterinarians interviewed were over 50 yr of age, whereas over 40% of the calf managers, feeders, and treaters were under 30 yr of age. Seventy-three percent of feeders and 72% of treaters spoke Spanish at home. For languages in which interviewees were comfortable speaking, more than 30% of owners and 33% of veterinarians were comfortable communicating in Spanish. For calf care employees, 60% of calf managers, 42% of feeders, and 38% of treaters were bilingual (English and Spanish), but most (72%) preferred to be interviewed in Spanish. The level of education varied by job title for those interviewed, but most of the calf care team had high school or less education. However, some diversity was observed in educational background within job title with almost 38% of the calf managers having at least some college education. The majority of feeders (88%) and treaters (83%) reported being trained by another employee and 66 and 58%, respectively, had not received any continuing education in the previous year. With the amount of diversity seen on these farms, understanding employees' educational backgrounds, language, and generational differences may be valuable when developing training for new procedures for animal health or other aspects of animal care.

Research paper thumbnail of Improving Dairy Organizational Communication from the Veterinarian's Perspective: Results of a Continuing Veterinary Medical Education Pilot Program

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2016

The increasing size and complexity of US dairy farms could make it more difficult for a veterinar... more The increasing size and complexity of US dairy farms could make it more difficult for a veterinary practitioner to effectively communicate protocol recommendations for prevention or treatment on the farm. A continuing education workshop was set up based on the results of research on dairy organizational communication on dairy farms, which resulted in a tool to assess dairy communication structure and flow. The workshop specifically focused on communication structure and whom to talk to when implementing health care changes in calf rearing. In addition, modern methods of veterinary–client communication knowledge and skills were provided. Primary outcomes of the workshops were to obtain feedback from participants about research findings and the communication model, to improve awareness about the complexity of communication structures on dairy farms, and to change participants' knowledge and skills associated with on-farm communication by providing communication theory and skills a...

Research paper thumbnail of Translating Healthcare Values into Action: An International, Interprofessional Collaboration

Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of The International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare: an interprofessional global collaboration to enhance values and communication in healthcare

Patient education and counseling, 2014

The human dimensions of healthcare--core values and skilled communication necessary for every hea... more The human dimensions of healthcare--core values and skilled communication necessary for every healthcare interaction--are fundamental to compassionate, ethical, and safe relationship-centered care. The objectives of this paper are to: describe the development of the International Charter for Human Values in Healthcare which delineates core values, articulate the role of skilled communication in enacting these values, and provide examples showing translation of the Charter's values into action. We describe development of the Charter using combined qualitative research methods and the international, interprofessional collaboration of institutions and individuals worldwide. We identified five fundamental categories of human values for every healthcare interaction--Compassion, Respect for Persons, Commitment to Integrity and Ethical Practice, Commitment to Excellence, and Justice in Healthcare--and delineated subvalues within each category. We have disseminated the Charter internati...

Research paper thumbnail of Building on Existing Models from Human Medical Education to Develop a Communication Curriculum in Veterinary Medicine

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006

Communication is a core clinical skill of veterinary medicine and one that needs to be taught and... more Communication is a core clinical skill of veterinary medicine and one that needs to be taught and learned to the same degree as other clinical skills. To provide this education and essential expertise, veterinary schools in many countries, especially including North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have begun to develop programs and communication curricula. Human medical education, however, has 30 years’ experience in developing communication curricula, and is thus an excellent resource upon which veterinary educators can build and shape their own communication programs. This article describes a skills-based communication course that has been successfully implemented for veterinary medical education at Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and was based on the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine's well-established program. The Calgary-Cambridge Guides and supporting textbooks provide the scaffolding for teaching, learning, and evaluation in both programs. Resources s...

Research paper thumbnail of Problem-based learning: An alternative approach to legal education

Dalhousie LJ, 1990

Suzanne Kurtz, Problem-Based Learning: Michael Wylie, An Alternative Approach Neil Gold* To Legal... more Suzanne Kurtz, Problem-Based Learning: Michael Wylie, An Alternative Approach Neil Gold* To Legal Education I. Introduction This paper is intended to provide legal educators with an introduction to problem-based learning. Problem-based learning has several variations and each of ...

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching and Learning Communication in Veterinary Medicine

Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2006

Drawing on extensive evidence and experience in human medicine, this article offers a practical c... more Drawing on extensive evidence and experience in human medicine, this article offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking more precisely about how to teach and learn communication systematically and intentionally in veterinary medicine. The overarching goal is to promote the development of communication programs so as to improve communication in veterinary practice to a professional level of competence. A three-part conceptual framework is presented that first explores the rationale behind teaching and learning communication, including the evidence base regarding the impact of communication on clinician–client interactions and outcomes of care and the research on teaching and learning communication skills in medicine. The second part considers four ways to conceptualize what to teach and learn, as explicated by (a) the domains of communication in veterinary medicine; (b) “first principles” of effective communication; (c) evidence-based goals or outcomes for communication pro...

Research paper thumbnail of La Comunicación Médico-Paciente: Habilidades Basadas en La Evidencia

Métodos: Se describe los “outcomes” o logros descritos en la literatura que son el resultado de u... more Métodos: Se describe los “outcomes” o logros descritos en la literatura que son el resultado de una comunicación efectiva. Se explora los “primeros principios” de la comunicación eficaz y se incluye una reseña del contexto histórico que ha influido significativamente en ...

Research paper thumbnail of The Human Dimensions of Care: Enhancing Communication and Compassion in Healthcare

Research paper thumbnail of Vaardig communiceren in de gezondheidszorg; een evidence-based benadering

Tijdschrift voor Medisch Onderwijs, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Doctor-patient communication: principles and practices

The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques, 2002

In a formal needs assessment, conducted prior to the Canadian Headache Society's recent natio... more In a formal needs assessment, conducted prior to the Canadian Headache Society's recent national continuing education workshop, participants expressed particular enthusiasm for enhancing their own communication skills or their teaching of those skills. Responding to both interests, this paper offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking systematically about how to improve physician-patient communication to a professional level of competence. The three-part, evidence-based framework first defines communication in medicine in terms of five underlying assumptions about communication and the learning of communication skills. It then discusses three categories of communication skills (content, process, and perceptual skills) and six goals that physicians and patients work to achieve through their communication with each other. The second part of the framework explores "first principles" of effective communication and includes a brief look at the historical context t...