Midterm 1 Flashcards
internal factors for effective communication
- you must naturally like people
- you must care about people
- you must want to serve people
external factors for effective communication
- look professional
- practice professional etiquette
communication
- act of transmitting info to another person (non/verbal)
- give patients your undivided attention
- be an active listener (repeat key parts of a patients responses)
- try to manage your scene so you can ask questions without shouting
- communication with patients in chaotic conditions is critical
DR watch your inflection
-use a calm steady tone to show interest and concern
DR respond to patient
-acknowledge what the patient said
DR tell people who you are
-tell the patient you are a paramedic
DR use the patients name
-peoples names are important to them
DR anticipate and deal with fear
-reassurance may be the most important treatment provided to a patient
DR respect the importance of pain
-do something about it
DR respect and protect peoples modesty
-especially the very old, adolescent and very young
help don’t judge
-professional skepticism is a useful tool
open ended questions
-non yes/no questions
close ended questions
-yes/no questions
payoff questions
-questions that can reveal larger issues
useful responses to questions
- facilitate the response
- be quiet
- clarify the response
- redirect the response
- interpret the response
- simplify and summarize the response
assume nothing Er
-be a careful observer
give medical advice Er
-suggest patients get medical advice from a doctor
providing false hope Er
-try not to over encourage patients
assuming excessive authority Er
-you are not a law enforcement officer
sidestepping the truth Er
-be honest and sincere
distancing yourself from patients Er
-do not avoid contact with patients as people
non verbal skills
- eye contact
- touch
- gentleness
- posture (position yourself at the patients level)
- demeanour (be pleasant)
- therapeutic smile (helps to relieve stress)
assessing mental status
- appropriate humour
- timing of responses to questions
- memory
- ability to obey simple commands
special interview situations
- people who are unmotivated to talk/hostile
- geriatric/pediatric patients
- people with special challenges
