Training + Courses
Becoming a Badge Buddy
The Badge Buddy Training Program helps caregivers improve communication and build patient rapport by using improvisation intervention techniques to break the ice and build connections.
- 10+ years' experience
- 70,000 "memories created" with patients at 30 different regional and national hospitals
- Working with 1500 Child Life Specialists and healthcare workers
Badge Buddy Program Basics
Accreditation
The purpose of CAAHEC is to develop and enhance educational networks, programs, and services to improve the supply, quality, diversity, and distribution of health professionals who serve rural and underserved populations and can provide quality care in the context of a transforming health care system. In partnership with CAAHEC, the Partners That Heal – Badge Buddy Training curriculum is qualified for 1-credit hour towards CEU and PDU for each of the four-levels, and counts towards continuing education.
Online Courses
Badge Buddy Level One – “Improvisation as a bridge to empower positive patient and supporters’ imagination”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques to improve communication and strengthen connections with their patients through trust, appreciation and reciprocity via First Contact improvisational intervention techniques.
Badge Buddy Level Two – “Using Improvisation to strengthen providers’ non-verbal communication assessment in patient and supporters”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques to assess patient and supporters moods through non-verbal descriptors
Badge Buddy Level Three – “Battling growing workplace burnout and occupational stress through improvisation techniques promoting staff resiliency”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques within the workplace via intervention techniques encouraging sense of purpose, engagement and heightening social relationship connectors in the work place
Badge Buddy Level Four – “Improving patient/provider communication using group improvisation interventions endorsing increased empathy, close listening and problem solving as a team”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques for providers and their staffs when tackling challenging patient/provider scenarios for short and long term patients and their supporters.
In-Person Courses
Badge Buddy Level One – “Improvisation as a bridge to empower positive patient and supporters’ imagination”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques to improve communication and strengthen connections with their patients through trust, appreciation and reciprocity via First Contact improvisational intervention techniques.
Class Ratio: 12:1
Badge Buddy Level Two – “Using Improvisation to strengthen providers’ everyday communication skills for patient and provider consultations and visits”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques to exhibit increased empathy and appreciation for patients through increased capacity for close listening.
Class Ratio: 12:1
Badge Buddy Level Three – “Battling growing workplace burnout and occupational stress through improvisation techniques promoting staff resiliency”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize improvisation techniques within the workplace via intervention techniques encouraging sense of purpose, engagement and heightening social relationship connectors in the work place”
Class Ratio: 12:1
Badge Buddy Level Four – “Improving patient/provider communication using group improvisation interventions to help problem solving as a team”
This training will prepare medical professionals to utilize First contact and long-form improvisation techniques as healthcare teams when engaging challenging patient/supporter visits”
Class Ratio: 12:1
Hero Workshops (For First Responders) – “Using improvisation to creative positive imagination memories for first responders when in vulnerability scenarios”
This training will prepare First Responders to utilize First Contact improvisational intervention techniques to help build trust with vulnerable persons in contact events that include stress, fear and uncertainty.
Class Ratio: 15:1
Medical Improvisation Workshops* – Developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine, Program Director, Katherine C. Kough
Catered improvisational workshops promoting ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) general competencies including Interpersonal and Communication skill building, Professionalism, Practice Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI) and Systems-based practices for Medical Students and Medical Professionals.
Class Ratio: 15:1
*NOTE: The term Medical Improv. was first coined by Katie Watson, Northwestern University
Courses Accredited + Developed With
