Communication with Children and Families Flashcards

1
Q

What is done to make a good introduction with children?

A
  • Be friendly and smile
  • Acknowledge child early on
  • Get down on their level
  • Utilise play
  • Ask about child’s agenda
  • Reflect on your own agenda
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2
Q

What is done in a good examination of infants?

A
  • Consider your facial expressions
  • Child well positioned and comfortable
  • Use of toys/distraction
  • Maintains dialogue throughout
  • Respond to child’s actions (smiles/eye contact)
  • Describes normality
  • Utilises parental skill of distracting child
  • Reflects consideration of child and parents agenda
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3
Q

What is done in a bad examination of infants?

A
  • Examined on bed away from parent
  • No interaction with child
  • No use of toys
  • Use of medical jargon
  • Description potentially perceived as pathology
  • Unrealistic expectation
  • Reflects focus on own agenda
  • Persistence despite distress
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4
Q

What is done in a good examination of toddlers?

A
  • Well positioned on parents knee (accepts suboptimal to avoid distress)
  • Utilises play (illustration and distraction)
  • Maintains dialogue throughout (always observing)
  • Gradual exposure (listens through clothing)
  • Eye contact (listens to back, positioned at front)
  • Changes order depending on child (auscultation, palpation, percussion)
  • Stops when child upset, settles, and resume
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5
Q

What is ineffective communication?

A
  • Parents perspective
    • Doctor focused on their own agenda
    • Illness trivialised (“just a cold”) – make perents feel guilty
    • Hospital agenda placed above child’s own needs
    • Questions and increasing concerns dismissed
    • Unsure about next steps are ineffective closure
  • Doctors perspective
    • Doctor busy and has other tasks to do
    • Night shift compromises cognitive processes
    • Wants to prevent illness admissions
    • Recognises the needs of other unwell patients
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6
Q

What is effective communication?

A
  • Patients perspective
    • Doctor acknowledges challenges/stress of hospital admission
    • Allows parent to speak and finish point made
    • Concern acknowledged
    • Aware of recurrence and sibling risk
    • Big worries (meningitis/epilepsy) addressed without needing to ask
    • Hears key information (no harm) several times
    • Clearly explanation of next steps
    • Given opportunity for further questions
  • Doctors perspective
    • Shows insight into parenteral perspective
    • Seeks to clarify the parental understanding
    • Clearly describes condition acknowledging understandable concern
    • Addresses recurrence/sibling risk but emphasises key negatives
    • Proactively anticipates concern (meningitis/epilepsy)
    • Focuses on markers of health
    • Explains the role/lack of role of investigations
    • Clearly describes next steps
    • Repeats key information
    • Provides opportunity for questions
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