General Communication

Notes on Body Language

• Get on patient’s level

• Don’t invade patient’s comfort zone

Building Patient Rapport

• Give your name + use patient’s name

• Make eye contact

• Be honest about patient treatment, current state, etc.

• Use simple language

• Speak slowly, clearly, distinctly

How to Obtain a Better History

• Facilitation: encourage patient to talk more w/follow up questions

• Silence: Give patient space and time to think and respond

• Reflection: Restate a patient’s statement

• Empathy

• Clarification

• Confrontation: For patients who are in shock, mental distress, etc.

• Interpretation: Rephrase patient’s complaint to confirm their understanding

• Summarize: Explain what you are doing

Conversation Techniques to Avoid

• Providing false assurances

• Unsolicited advice

• Leading/bias questions

• Talking too much

• Interrupting patient

• Authoritative

• Medical Jargon

Other Types of Situations

Overbearing bystanders: ask the patient to answer

Agitated Patients:

Elderly Patients: give them time to grab necessary things like hearing aides or dentures, etc.

Children: more nervous, let them keep a toy, doll, etc. and allow parent to come with

Hearing Impairment: Make sure the patient can see your lips —> Have paper and pen available

Visual Impairment: Explain what you are doing, stay in physical contact with the patient if possible

Language Barriers: See if your patient knows any English or if any of your team members knows the language that they know

Service Animal: Transport the animal with the patient if possible, otherwise care for the animal