Therapeutic communication Communication skills Therapeutic communication Dr. Fatmah Almoayad

Course content Therapeutic communication Orientation and introduction The process of communication Nonverbal communication Verbal communication Interpersonal skills of health care professional Therapeutic communication Roadblocks to therapeutic communications Communicating with your supervisor Cultural sensitivity

Outline

What is therapeutic communication Communication that advances the patient’s well-being and care. It is the primary reason for all interactions between HCPs and patients.

Skills for therapeutic communication. Remaining silent. Remaining nonjudgmental. Showing acceptance. Giving recognition. Offering yourself.

Skills for therapeutic communication Giving the patient an opening. Leading the discussion. Making observations. Encouraging communications. Paraphrasing.

Remaining silent Sometimes patients need time to gather thoughts and think about what they want to say. It is important for a HCP to be able to recognize these times and give patients their time with out any pressures.

Remaining nonjudgmental. When patients reveal their beliefs or practices that you don’t agree with, you should remain respectful, nonjudgmental and caring.

Showing acceptance. When talking to patients show them that you are listening carefully by using both verbal and nonverbal cues.

Giving recognition Recognise any positive changes in the behaviour of you patient.

Offering yourself Make it clear to the patient that your are their to serve their health care needs and that you are professionally available providing compassion and empathy.

Giving the patient an opening Give the patient a chance to start a discussion. This can be done by asking open ended questions.

Leading the discussion. If the patient stop talking be prepared

Making observations. Without being judgmental show your patients that you have noticed that something is going wrong and be ready to ask questions about it.

Encouraging communications. Don’t give the patient the feeling of being questioned but encourage them to give you a full picture of their condition.

Paraphrasing. Always paraphrase to enhance understanding and rapport.

Dealing with angry patients Patients can be angry for so many reasons including: Believing that they did not receive appropriate care. Having a serious illness.

Dealing with angry patients Recognize anger (tense vice, ignoring communications….etc.) Stay calm, respectful (to defuse anger) and genuine (reassurance of intension to address any concerns). Focus on needs. Use appropriate nonverbal communications (spacing, eye contact… etc.) Resist defensing yourself instead listen to the patient with open mind.

Dealing with angry patients Calmly present your point to help a patient understand (Be assertive) Don’t make promises that you cant keep and follow through on your promises. If the patient needs, give him/her a time to deal with thoughts and emotions. If you feel at risk leave the room and seek help.

Anxious patients Patients can be anxious for many reasons including: White-coat syndrome (Anxiety of being present in a medical practice) Suspecting a disease. Awareness of a disease.

Dealing with anxious patients Identify signs of anxiety. Acknowledge anxiety. Use appropriate nonverbal communications. Identify sources of anxiety. Make sure a patient is comfortable.

Dealing with anxious patients Determine available support (ex. Family members. Control your anxiety and mad create a climate of acceptance and trust. Provide truthful information to help patients cope. Never minimize patients feelings. Notify the doctor of the patient’s concerns.

Any questions?