communicating skills

Question 1

All forms of communication

Answer 1

Doctor-patient communication
Communication with families, communities, colleagues and other professionals
Intraprofessional communication between doctors
Interprofessional communication between doctor and nurse, doctor and other health professional
Disciplines, professions in healthcare, other professions

Question 2

special issues in communicating

Answer 2

Age-specific areas
Cultural and social diversity
Handling of emotions and challenging situations
Specific clinical contexts e.g psychiatry, work in emergency medicine
Specific explanation and planning skills e.g informed consent, risk management, health promotion and behaviour change
Dealing with uncertainty
Sensitive issues – breaking bad news, bereavement, sexual issues, areas involving stigmatisation e.g child abuse, HIV infection
Communication with colleagues and inter-professional communication

Question 3

Some barriers to effective communication

Answer 3

Working environment
Time constraints
Lack of knowledge
Personal attitudes
Language and culture
Human failings (tiredness, stress)

Question 4

Communication in healthcare

Answer 4

Effective clinical communication is central to clinical competence and plays an essential role in high-quality healthcare

It enables more effective interviews, enhanced patient and professional satisfaction AND improved health outcomes for patients e.g adherence, patient safety and medico-legal issues

Integration is vital (knowledge, communication, practical skills including physical examination, problem solving)

Question 5

clinical communication

Answer 5

Communication is a core competency for medical students
Communication is a learnt skill
There is overwhelming evidence for the positive effect of communication training
Teaching and assessment of clinical communication have become formal components of undergraduate education
Teaching and research in communication are inter-dependent – evidence-based practice

Question 6

The central role in the framework of core competencies

Answer 6

The role of a Healthcare Practitioner integrates all of the graduate attribute role applying profession-specific knowledge, clinical skills and professional attitudes in their provision of patient/client-centred care

Question 7

role of communicator

Answer 7

Key competencies
Develop rapport, trust and ethical therapeutic relationships with patients/clients, families and communities from different cultural backgrounds
Accurately elicit and synthesise relevant information and perspectives of patients/clients, families, communities, colleagues and other professionals
Convey relevant information and explanations accurately to patients/clients, families, communities, colleagues and other professionals, as well as statutory and other professional bodies
Develop a common understanding on issues, problems and plans with patients/clients, families, communities, colleagues and other professionals to develop a shared plan of action

Question 8

the Calgary-Cambridge Guides to Clinical Communication

Answer 8

Assist in providing a comprehensive clinical method which can be used successfully in any context
This clinical method marries process with content …and “how” with the “what”?
Evidence-based

Question 9

Initiating the session

Answer 9

preparation
establishing initial rapport
identifying the reasons for the consultation

Question 10

Gathering information

Answer 10

Explanation of the patient’s problem to discover the:
 biomedical perspective
 the patient’s perspective
 background information - context

Question 11

explaining and planning

Answer 11

providing the correct type and amount of information
aiding accurate recall and understanding
achieving a shared understanding: incorporating the patient’s illness framework
planning: shared decision making

Question 12

Closing the session

Answer 12

ensuring appropriate point of closure

forward planning

Question 13

ICE

Answer 13

Patient’s perspective

ideas, concerns, expectations, effects on life, emotions, beliefs, “ICE”