Communication Skills and First Contact with Patients

COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND RADIOGRAPHER PATIENT FIRST CONTACT

Learning Tasks

• At the end of this session student should be able to:
• Define a patient
• Explain the first radiographer patient contact
• Outline forms of interactions and communication techniques
• Outline things to consider during first radiographer –patient contact

Describe the after care of the patient

Patient

Patient is an individual who is searching health care.

Health care refers to those services provided to assist the patient in maintaining or restoring optimum health.

A comprehensive health care to the patient can not be given by a single person, but requires the effort of a medical team(health professions and workers),so the center of the team is the patient

Central position of a patient

PATIENT

• Accountant
• Nurse
• physician
• Radiographer
• Pharmacist
• Lab . technician
• psychiatrist
• Health attendant
• Psychotherapist
• Dentist
• Social worker

Occupational therapist

The First Radiographer Patient Contact

This is the interaction between the radiographer and the patient and people around them (relative) It is important psychologically to present the patient with an image of an efficient department.

This includes clean and tidy rooms and radiographers will look professional The feelings, comfort and kind treatment of the patient may be as significant as radiograph itself.

The First Radiographer Patient Contact (2)

The body posture and a smiling facial expression is important in giving a patient a feeling a welcome also addresses as; Mr., Mrs., Miss, Hon or Rev etc. and avoiding the temptation of using diminutives as they distract from the patient dignity and individuality.

In improving relationships with patients that dramatic results in clinical situations.

Forms of interactions and communication techniques

The following forms of interactions and communication techniques have proved effectiveness.

Verbal skills

Is used in establishment an open relationship the health professional and the patient a basic to quality of the interaction, vocabulary, clarity of voice and even the organization of the sentences must be at an appropriate for the patient

Forms of Interactions and Communication Techniques (2)

Non- verbal communication

Although verbal language as our primary means of communication, non verbal behavior reveal a great deal about how we feel.

• How non verbal communication is interpreted is largely based on cultural background.
• E.g.

Refusal to look someone directly to the face is avoidance, refusal or rejection

Forms of interactions and communication techniques (3)

• Crunched teeth or fits suggest angry under rigid control.

Patient in pain may suggest tight or rigid posture Leaning forward while listening to another shows that a person is interested in the subject being discussed.

What other non- verbal behavior do you see around?

Forms Of Interactions And Communication Techniques (4)

Eye contact

Is considered as the positive behavior, when make direct eye contact with the person while speaking, it is usually perceived as an expression of interest, concern or honest Touching

It is also a means of communication, an abrupt or tentative touching may demonstrate as distaste or reluctance to care for an individual.

Forms of Interactions and Communication Techniques (5)

A positive touch is firm but gentle reassures the patient that you are both capable and caring.

• People touch one another for variety of reasons;
• To provide reassurance, support or encouragement.
• To imply domination, anger, or frustration

To form a positive connection, as in a handshake or shoulder pat To perform professional services, such as those provided by a doctor, hairdresser, or masse use

Forms of Interactions and Communication Techniques (6)

Appearance

Patients tend to place their confidence in health care, workers to the degree that they feel their expectations, of a professional person are being met.

Everyone we meet forms an impression of us from our away we communicate how we feel about our work and appearance, and whether we realize it or not, appearance is another, our patients.

What does your appearance tell patients?

Forms of interactions and communication techniques (7)

Listening skills

How do you feel when you are interrupted, or when the listener looks out the window while you attempt to make your point?

Are you irritated when others, "put words into your mouth" or change the subject without responding to what you have just said?

Forms of Interactions and Communication Techniques (8)

Good communication is a two-way street, and a good listener does more than await his or her turn to speak.

As a skill, listening involves the ability to give full attention to the speaker.

When you focus on the speaker, you can respond to what has been said rather than making a quick switch to the next item on your mental list.

Forms of interactions and communication techniques(9)

In conversation, patients often give us clues about a physical problem that could be easily missed if we rush to get to the next question.

This approach may seem impractical in a busy imaging department. but it can become automatic with practice.

Methods of Effective Communication

For effective care and communication to the patients, the following interactive skills must be possessed by radiographers:

• Verbal skills
• Language used
• Vocabulary
• Clarity of voice
• Organization of sentences

Must be at an appropriate level for the patient to understand and follow easily.

Methods of Effective Communication (2)

A radiographer must be extremely careful to avoid cultural slurs and references to age, sex, diseases and the abilities of health professionals

• Paralanguage
• Body language

Touch/Palpation

• Professional appearance (smart/lovely)
• Physical presence

Visual contacts

Methods of Effective Communication (3)

• Understanding the various types of patients

Interacting and care of patients greatly depends on the degree of condition and type of the patent. Special techniques must be applied to the following types of patients:

• Seriously ill and traumatized patients
• Visually impaired patients

Speech and hearing impaired patients

Methods of Effective Communication (4)

THINGS TO CONSIDER DURING FIRST RADIOGRAPHER –PATIENT CONTACT

The patient need reassurance when he is first sent to the x-ray department.

To the patient is a very strange to the department that he must view at best with uncertainty on the first instance.

He will want to be reassured first of all about certain personal qualities in the radiographer.

He will want to be assured of professional capabilities.

THINGS TO CONSIDER DURING FIRST RADIOGRAPHER –PATIENT CONTACT (2)

The personal qualities required are that the radiographer should be sympathetic understanding cheerful and interested in the patient.

The radiographer by all means needs to maintain these qualities so that the patient may feel that he is valued.

Even when it is not easy to display these a radiographer should find enough self control to do it.

Smile from a radiographer can go a very long way toward establishing an easy relationship thus reducing the tension in a patient.

A patient feels encouraged if he is address by name correctly prefixed by Mr.,Mrs., or Miss.

THINGS TO CONSIDER DURING FIRST RADIOGRAPHER –PATIENT CONTACT (3)

The use of the name protects the patient from a sense of loss of identity and loss of control in the direction of his affairs when he hears his being used he feels re- established as a significant entity(existence) The radiographer should realize that the work with aspects of patient that are displeasing an actively distressing, he must be prepared for this.

No patient can feel any confident in a radiographer whose white coat is dirty, hair is untidy.

After Care of The Patient

Radiographer should restrict speech exchange between each other to technicalities relating the examination.

Eliminating anything that is not reassuring e.g. “ I wonder if the tube is working’’ so to the patient there is a major risk that is likely to be caused by the equipment.

After Care of The Patient (2)

Radiographers should never start a general conversation of their own interest on irrelevant issues i.e. football match Radiographer when dealing with the child i.e. should not handle the child roughly, expose him to sudden noises or leave him alone.

All effort should be taken to prevent the child from panicking as he sees new and strange equipment at the x-ray department.

Evaluation:

• Define a patient
• Explain the first radiographer patient contact
• Outline forms of interactions and communication techniques
• Outline things to consider during first radiographer –patient contact

Describe the after care of the patient