Therapeutic Communication
- #Fowler
- Good communication is one of the core tenets of paramedicine. In order to be a good communicator, you have to have a sincere desire to be a part of this profession, an understanding of human strengths and weaknesses, and empathy
- Patience and flexibility are traits of a good communicator
- Prejudice, lack of privacy, and distractions can cause communication breakdown and failure. It is important to establish good rapport and to take as many other steps as possible to ensure that communication takes place
- Present yourself as caring, compassionate, competent, and confident. Uniforms and grooming standards will aid in the initial trust a patient decides to give you.
- Trust/Rapport
- In order to build trust and rapport, make yourself a person—not just a uniform. Introduce yourself, use the patient's name and appropriate title, and be kind
- Always be professional and explain what you are doing and why. Never lie to a patient, but do not be rude or overly blunt
- Change your style of communication to match the patient, respectfully
- Keep a comfortable distance of four to twelve feet between you and the patient, and always try to get on the same eye level as them. Keep an open stance without crossing your arms or closing your fists
- Ask open-ended questions that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no", but use closed-ended questions to confirm doubts or guide a talkative patient
- Questions should come one at a time and when possible, from only one provider
- Avoid working your way down a "checklist"of questions. Instead, ask questions based off of what you need to know and what they have told you. [[Critical Thinking]]
- Avoid questioning based off of dispatch information. Instead, get information from the patient about why they called and what is happening, providing feedback to make sure you are understanding correctly.
- Interviewing patients
- Use appropriate language, not slang or medical terminology that your patient is unlikely to understand
- If you suspect that your patient has special needs, start interviewing in the usual manner. Rule out language/physical barriers and medical causes before making assumptions. If open-ended questions do not work, try direct questions.
