Week 8: Dealing with Difficult Clients

Question 1

Why/when you might encounter difficult (upset/angry) clients?

Answer 1

The patient may have personal issues or have had issues with getting to appointments or other issues.

Question 2

Ways to learn and apply communication strategies to manage these clients in an effective way.

Answer 2

1. Univeral Upset Patient Protocol:
   “You look really upset.”
   “Tell me about it.”
   “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”
   “What would you like me to do to help you?”
   “Here’s what I’d like us to do next.”
   “Thank you so much for sharing your feelings with me, it’s really important that we understand each other completely, thank you.”
2. Replace ‘sorry’ with ‘thank you’

Question 3

What are uniquely difficult/challenging situations from real-life clinical practice?

Answer 3

You may have clients that really want to keep talking but it’s not about the consultation. The best way to deal with this is “I could chat to you all day, however, my next patient is here and we can continue this conversation next time I see you.

If we have distracting children then we need to be able to go with the flow and even if we need to email extra information that was missed or provided some telly health.

Teenagers and parents arguing. You need to respect both and try your best to answer both without conflicting without taking sides.

Question 4

What is the importance of self-care after dealing with difficult clients?

Answer 4

In any profession that uses empathy to assist in counselling clients, self-care is important to avoid “compassion fatigue”. This is particularly true after dealing with difficult clients where we may have had to invest a higher level of empathy to manage the situation successfully.

The ABC model of self-care is discussed here by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners,

Awareness: Understand and improve your awareness of when you are stressed, tired or overwhelmed.

Balance: Review your lifestyle and consider healthier options, seek balance in all physical, social and physiological areas.

Connection: Consider joining an action group where you have a passion for change, talk to others about work-debrief safely.