4 Information Gathering Flashcards
Q: Introduction. (4)
A: Greet the patient and introduce yourself – ‘Hello my name is..Could I take your name please’
State your role – ‘I’m a first year medical student at Imperial College’
Seek permission – ‘Would you mind if I talked to you for about 5 mins to find out what brought you to the clinic today’?
State purpose – ‘The purpose of this is to gather some basic information from you so that I can than pass that on to the GP’
Q: When you gather information, list some basic opening questions. (5)
A: ‘Can you tell me what brought you here today’
‘What made you decide to come to see the doctor?’
‘Can you tell me about the main thing you think is wrong?’
‘Can you tell me about?’
Where relevant – ‘Could you describe the pain’?
Q: What is the focal point of the interview? Referred to as?
A: get the patient’s perspective by establishing the patient’s ideas, concerns and expectations.
This is conventionally referred to as ICE in its acronym form. It is essentially a content element but requires specific process elements to implement effectively. Do not see these as discrete topics, they are often related. For example, patients may often tell you their ideas and at the same time voice their concerns.
Q: What 3 questions can you ask for IDEAS?
A: • ‘Do you know what may be causing the problem?’
• ‘Do you have any ideas about what is going on?’
• ‘What’s your view of the problem?’
Q: What 4 questions can you ask for CONCERNS?
A: • ‘Do the symptoms worry you’?
• ‘Have you had any particular concerns about what has been happening?’
• ‘Are you worried about anything in particular?’
• ‘Can you tell me if anything is worrying you at the moment?’
Q: What 2 questions can you ask for EXPECTATIONS? How should you use your enquiry into these topics?
A: • ‘What are you hoping will be the outcome?’
• ‘What are you expecting to get from your consultation?’
selectively based on what the patient tells you
Q: What are signposting/ transition statements? Provide? Example questions. (2) Why are they important?
A: statements that link the interview together.
They provide direction so you and the patient know where you’ve been and what’s coming next.
“We have discussed why you have come into the clinic, what I would like to do now is ask you some questions how this is affecting you”/”Could I ask a little bit more about how your illness has impacted on your daily life”?
Transition statements are very important devices which shape the sequential organisation of the interview as they render the process transparent for the patient and show that you are listening.
Q: What is valuable to do before finishing the interview? Example statement. Means that you can? Indicates that?
A: make a summary.
“I’d like to summarise what we have discussed.”
check with the patient the accuracy of your information as well as leave the patient with a sense of what they and you thought important.
the interview is coming to an end
Q: When gathering basic information, although it is based on some verbal skills, what should you not forget? More importantly?
A: non-verbal communication – open body language, maintaining eye contact
watch the patient’s non-verbal communication (facial expressions, level of eye contact) and see what it indicates
