Communication skills in English for the medical practitioner

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Communication skills in
English for the medical
practitioner
Prepared by
Nina Bocharova
Foreign Languages Chair
Yaroslavl State Medical University

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INTRODUCTION

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Introduction to communication
The purpose:
1.to give learners an overview of what
communication involves and
2.to show the importance of good
communication to the doctor-patient
interview

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Communication is (watch you tube videos)
a two way process where a sender of a massage (words) should
receive (get) some feedback (reaction) from the receiver
a sender
a message
a feedback
(reaction)
social interaction through messages
?-Find and give your definition
a receiver

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Communication models
Transmission model
Interactional model

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Communication Methods
verbal
communication
voice
management
active listening
doctor
patient
non-verbal
communication
cultural
awareness

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Verbal
Verbal Communication
We need to ensure that what we say is:
clear
accurate
honest
appropriate (to the person’s age,
language/culture and level of
understanding and education).

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Verbal communication factors (?)
1.relation to each other
2. gender
3. age
4. language/lexics
5. level of education

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Verbal communication strategies
Doctor
Patient
Do you have any history of
cardiac arrest?
No, we have never had any
trouble with the police
What causes misunderstanding?
Find an alternative expression.

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Verbal communication strategies
WHAT?
Clarifying
Checking
Paraphrasing
Summarising
WHY?
To reduce
misunderstanding risks
Maintain
communication
Prevent communication
breakdown

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Voice management
Your tone of voice is also important.
Try not to let your personal feelings
seep into your voice – try to stay
calm and focused on the
patient/client in front of you. With
practice, you’ll be able to perfect
this vital skill.

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Voice management
It is not what we say, it is how we say
What aspects of voice can influence verbal message?
Listen to three doctors (ex.6, 7, p.10). What can you say about them?
- intonation
- stress
- speed
- loudness
- pausing

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Voice management
Is very important, as it can add extra meaning
to what
people
communication
say
and
undermine

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Non-verbal communication
It is often described as ‘body language’.
Body language says a lot about our interest
and engagement in the communication
we’re having. Even when we ‘say the right
things’, the message can be lost if our body
language suggests we’re thinking
something very different.

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Non-verbal communication
touch
eye contact
proximity
environment
clothing and accessories
facial expression
orientation
posture
What is the most difficult to control?

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Active listening
Active listening is a specific way of
hearing what a person says and
feels and reflecting that information
back to the speaker.

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Active Listening.Why?
Shows patient that you care.
Establishes trust in a health care
professionalpatient relationship.
Lessens your chance erroneous
treatment/decisionmaking, based on your
own assumptions.
Increases the chance that you’ll procure
pertinent information.

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Active Listening Components
Undivided Attention
Refrain from interruptions. Ignore distractions (I’m looking at you, EMR).
Focus on the person to show he has your undivided attention.
Body Language
Face the patient. Maintain eye contact. Nod at appropriate times. Avoid
crossing your arms and keep an open posture to show you are open to
communication.
Acknowledgement
Paraphrase comments to verify your understanding of the situation. Clarify
important details by asking if you have a thorough understanding of what he is
saying and feeling. Ask open-ended questions to elaborate on key aspects.
Nonjudgmental Attitude
Withhold judgment. Avoid interrupting with counterarguments. Avoid
“premature diving”.
Response
Avoid condescending responses. Show empathy by respecting the patient.

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Active Listening Strategies
Paraphrase:Restating a message, but usually with
fewer words. Where possible try and get more to the
point.
Clarify:Process of bringing vague material into sharper
focus.
Check Perceptions: Request for verification of your
perceptions.
Summarize: Pulling together, organizing, and
integrating the major aspects of your dialogue. Pay
attention to various themes and emotional overtones. Put
key ideas and feelings into broad statements. DO NOT
add new ideas.
Express Empathy: Reflection of content and feelings

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Active listening barriers
External noise
Thinking about the words to
say
Mumbling
Day-dreaming
Speaking quickly
Judgment in advance
Strong accent
Predicting what the speaker is
Wrong stress
going to say

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Signs of active listening (ex. 13a,b)
- not giving the impression you are in a hurry
- listening to verbal cues
- observing non-verbal cues (eye contact, body language)
- making utterances (I see, Right)
- clarifying, summarizing
- pausing before questions

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Cultural awareness
Customs, world views, language, kinship system,
social organization, day-to-day practices make
culture
It is important to understand how culture shapes
both the patient’s beliefs and also our own.
Bickley (2003)

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Cultural awareness means
It means being tolerant of
difference, being flexible and
willing to embrace change.
It means realizing that language
and culture are linked and cannot
be separated.
Lack of cultural awareness can
result in offending others.

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Cultural awareness elements
Language
Religion
Beliefs
Values
Customs/habits
Festivals
Art
Literature
Music

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Home task
Introduction PP
Home reading 1 “Two consultations”
Get ready for the written test