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COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND ANAESTHESIOLOGIST

-Communication skills needed to

i) Counsel patients preop

ii) For improving compliance with treatment

iii) For breaking bad news

-Benefits of improved physician patient communication

i) Benefits to patient

*Patient satisfaction

ii) Benefits to staff

*enhanced personal, professional self-esteem & work satisfaction

*general improvement in interaction with colleagues

iii) Benefits to health providing organization

*enhanced reputation of the institution among patients, referring

doctors, community in general

*decrease in litigation by patients

-TOOLS OF THE TRADE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

i) Establishing rapport

-involves following skills

a) Non-verbal response

*making and maintaining eye contact

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*positioning ourselves appropriately in the room

*tone and volume of voice

*Mirroring-adopting some aspects of the patients body language

b) Non-verbal

*extremely powerful

*Listening-attentively-understanding the patients background, beliefs

and concerns

*encouraging-the patient to speak using simple prompt of nodding andinterjection

ii) Asking questions

-closed questions-time saving

-leading questions

-the patients deserve to be listened without hindrance.

iii) Developing self awareness

-before helping others, the physician needs to be aware of her/him.

-APPLYING THE SKILLS

1) INTERVIEW

i) Beginning-introduction to be made, purpose to be outlined

ii) Middle-dealing with feelings

-acknowledge them without being judgmental

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-anger is common, when compounded by outbursts, it is better to stay

calm.

-acknowledge the anger and try to identify the contributing reasons

-Anxiety-commonest feelings that are encountered

-underlying perception is that of loss of control

-Strategies-involve the patient in decision making process

-Imparting information-ask the patient what they already know

-patient should be given time to react and the

Opportunity to ask questions. because it is

Important to assess the impact of the news.

-explaining complex concepts simply

*using complex information in simple terms without medical jargon

*start by asking what the patient knows

*wise to check, understanding from time to time

*end by summary

-breaking bad news

*bad news-death-small chance of survival in ICU

-operation has to be cancelled

Therefore use simple language

iii) ending-to summarize