communication skills 1 Flashcards
define what communication skills is
the giving and receiving of information between two or more people
what does communication skills include
sharing information, thoughts and feelings with someone else
how is communication skills described as a two way process
how the other person responds to you sets the scene for what to do next
list 5 reasons about why we care about communication
- end of year assessments
- final year clinics
- pre-registration period
- patient concerns and complaints
- hospital concerns about information
list 6 things that drives the need to communicate and describe each reason
- non-social or biological drivers: communication of information is needed to survive
- dependency: drive for acceptance, protection and guidance
- affiliation: drive for affiliation, friendship, intimacy
- dominance: a desire for status, recognition, power
- sex: a desire to propagate the species
- self-esteem: a desire for approval, respect, identity
how much % does verbal communication account for
how much % does non-verbal communication account for
> 65%
list the 9 things that contribute to non-verbal communication
- physical contact
- physical proximity
- orientation
- body language: posture and gestures
- facial expressions
- eyes
- appearance
- synchrony
- pacing
list 5 points about physical contact
- its the most primitive form of social communication
- inter-cultural differences
- can be reassuring
- can easily be misinterpreted
- ok within the context of a professional examination
what 3 things is physical contact an expression of
- expression of intimacy
- expression of reassurance
- expression of aggression
list 3 points about physical proximity
- important cue for dominance and/or intimacy
- vaires widely between cultures
- closer the individual, the more intimate
at what proximity is public space considered to be
> = 4m
at what proximity is social space considered to be
1.3 - 4m
at what proximity is personal space considered to be
0.5 - 1.3m
at what proximity is intimate space considered to be
0 - 0.5m
what is meant by orientation, as a non-verbal form of communication
the position of an individual relative to another
what does looking down generally infer, in terms of orientation as a non-verbal form of communication
infers dominance/superiority
what 5 things contribute to body language
- posture
- gestures
- head nods
- facial expression
- eyes (pupils, contact, movement)
what does body posture signal
signals an individual’s emotional state and attitude towards others
what is important in interpreting posture
cultural influences and fashions are important in interpreting posture
what 4 things contribute to good body posture
- open body language
- appear friendly
- lean forward slightly to convey the feeling that you are interested
- maintain good eye contact
what is meant by body gestures
the movements of hands, feet or other parts of the body may be used to communicate definite messages
what are body gestures very closely associated with and what is it essential in
very closely associated with speech, and are often essential to communicate the full intended meaning
list the 4 ways you will use body gestures to communicate with full intended meaning
- indicate the size or number of described subjects
- point to specific people or objects
- provide emphasis
- give illustration of shape, movement or form
what is facial expression described as
a powerful form of communication
what reduces the impact of facial expressions
the ability of humans to control expression irrespective of the emotion “behind the facade”
what do fully raised eyebrows indicate, as a facial expression
disbelief
what do half raised eyebrows indicate, as a facial expression
surprise
what do relaxed eyebrows indicate, as a facial expression
no comment
what do half lowered eyebrows indicate, as a facial expression
puzzled
what do fully lowered eyebrows indicate, as a facial expression
angry
what does an unturned mouth indicate, as a facial expression
smile/pleasure
what does a downturned mouth indicate, as a facial expression
frown/displeasure
list 3 points about eyes, that contribute to non-verbal communication
- pupil size
- eye movements
- eye contact
how much % of eye contact does the speaker make
35%
how much % of eye contact does the listener make
90%
how much % of interactions does verbal communication account for
how much % of interactions does non-verbal communication account for
> 65% / 2/3rds of interactions
by how much more does a person make eye contact when listening than when speaking
2x more, eye contact when listening
what 2 other things do the patients communicate with before they meet you
- practice environment
- orientation
what does personal appearance have an impact, as a form of non-verbal communication
personal appearance influences how an individual sees themselves and would like to be treated by others
what will a patient expect from you as the practitioner in relation to your appearance
patients will expect you to conform to their stereotype for a healthcare professional
what 2 forms of social techniques are there
formal vs informal
what should be controlled during an eye examination
distractions
what must you try to avoid, when observing a patients appearance
try to avoid stereotyping your patient
list the 6 things that contribute to paralinguistics ‘how not what’
- intonation
- rate of speech
- pitch
- volume
- pauses
- speech errors
what is intonation, as a form of a paralinguistic
sound changes produced by the rise and fall of the voice when speaking, especially when this has an effect on the meaning of what is said
i.e. ‘I dont think he should get that job’
any word from this phrase can be changed in tone, to indicate different meanings
what 3 things can a rate of speech thats too quick indicate
- nervous
- excited
- confusing
what 2 things can a rate of speech thats too slow indicate
- bored
- appears disinterested
what type of paralinguistic is pitch
how high or low the voice sounds
when can someones voice pitch become high
when they are excited
to what type of patients can a high voice pitch cause difficulties to
to patients with age related hearing deficits as these usually affect higher pitches
what is required with pitch
good annunciation is required
what type of paralinguistic is volume
how loud or soft the voice sounds
which 2 times can it be useful in changing volume
- to highlight important points
- to maintain interest
what is a considerable amount of consultation taken up with, and what implications can this have
silence
- can be disconcerting for the px
- if need silence to write notes, then tell the px
- pauses useful if giving px big chunks of information
what causes speech errors in practice
talking to your patients like you talk to your mates, which you must not do
describe the social technique such as synchrony
adapting non-verbal behaviour to match or complement that of the patient
e.g. avoidance of dominant body posture with a shy person
what type of non-verbal communication skill is pacing
the movement of the practitioner reflects that of the patient
what does john hotter state about speech as a social technique
“good communication does not mean that you have to speak in perfectly formed sentences and paragraphs. it isn’t about slickness. simple and clear go a long way”
list the 6 points of the mnemonic CLOSER
- Control distractions and interruptions
- Lean forward slightly towards the px
- Open and non-defensive posture
- Squarely face the px
- Eye contact as appropriate
- Respect the px’s personal space
