W3 Communication

Question 1

what is the transmission/linear model of communication?

Answer 1

one-way: sender forms and sends a message, it is received and interpreted by receiver e.g. a radio

Question 2

what is the interactional model of communication?

Answer 2

two-way: person 1 sends a message, person 2 receives message and interprets it, person 2 sends a reply, person 1 receives message and interprets it

Question 3

what is the transactional communication model?

Answer 3

two-way: similar to interactional communication however context is key, the messages tend to become more complex as the conversation progresses

Question 4

what is Barnlund’s Transactional Model of communication?

Answer 4

a model that explores interpersonal, immediate communication. it highlights the roles of public cues (environmental cues, seen/understood by the other person) and private cues (person’s internal thoughts and background) and the influence it has on our communication

Question 5

what are the 5 core communication skills?

Answer 5

1. reflective listening
2. non-verbal communication
3. pauses
4. open and closed questions
5. empathy

Question 6

what is the difference between hearing and active listening?

Answer 6

hearing is passive and there is no interpretation, sound perception only. active listening is active, involves full participation and is focused

Question 7

how can you be a reflective listener?

Answer 7

actively listen and then clarify when necessary, use silence appropriately and encourage conversation

Question 8

what techniques can you use to check for understanding?

Answer 8

echoing: repeat last few words
paraphrasing: restate in your own words
summarising: presenting a summary

Question 9

what are some examplea of non-verbal cues?

Answer 9

body language, crying, spatial, blushing, sweating

Question 10

what is paraverbal communication?

Answer 10

it refers to the message we transmit through tone, pitch and pacing of our voices. the meaning of a message can change based on the way the message is said

Question 11

what is the pause ‘golden minute’?

Answer 11

this is the idea that by letting a client speak without interruption for ‘a golden minute’ most of the relevant information will emerge without the need to ask specific questions

Question 12

what are closed questions?

Answer 12

collects answers that are usually a single-word answer such as yes/no, there is normally a limited number of options as the answer. e.g. is your dog wormed

Question 13

what are open questions?

Answer 13

a type of question that allows someone to give a free-form answer, it allows more information to be collected than closed questions. e.g. why did you book this appointment today?

Question 14

when should you use open vs closed questions?

Answer 14

open: for client perspective, info you might miss otherwise and initial history taking (lots of info)
closed: for clarification, emergency and client consent (specific information)

Question 15

what is empathy?

Answer 15

this means experiencing someone else’s feelings, it requires an emotional component of really feeling what the other person is feeling

Question 16

what is sympathy?

Answer 16

this is understanding NOT experiencing someone else’s feelings, and understanding their emotions from your own perspective

Question 17

other than the ‘golden minute’ what else can a pause be effective for?

Answer 17

a pause after a particular moment can be used to add emphasis to a specific statement or question, it can also be used to show respect after a difficult conversation where the client may need time to process something, a pause can also help the vet to gather their thoughts before moving on with the consult

Question 18

what can miscommunication be caused by?

Answer 18

misunderstanding - wrong choice of words, wrong interpretation
incorrect form of communication - face to face, over the phone, written, verbal
lack of time - can be unclear, handover may not be sufficient etc

Question 19

how can you avoid misunderstanding during communication?

Answer 19

avoid using unclear terms/terminology, use phrases that won’t be misinterpreted, check understanding (ask if its clear to them, ask them what their understanding is), use an appropriate form of communication (written instead of verbal)

Question 20

how can you avoid using the incorrect form of communication?

Answer 20

ask the client what their needs are (do they want a phone call or face to face etc), keep phone conversations to interactional and communication that requires more context/is more complex is in person, avoid using poor handwriting if written

Question 21

how can you avoid miscommunication through lack of time?

Answer 21

ensure appropriate time is left for any important communication, ensure instructions are clear and precise, avoid going into too much detail (or rambling on) if restricted by time, use notice boards etc that everyone has access to and can update

Question 22

what are other common miscommunications (not the main three issues)?

Answer 22

offending the client unintentionally (challenge their skills/knowledge, aggressive animals), medication errors, accents, operations (spaying male cats), seeing different vets