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Year 3 - Clinical Communication Skills > Explaining > Flashcards

Flashcards in Explaining Deck (5)
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Why is explaining important

- A big part of the role of a doctor is to relay complex medical information to patients who don’t have a background in healthcare.
- Ensuring patients understand enough about their condition or treatment is critical in helping them to remain healthy.
- Sharing information is not just about the information you have but how it is conveyed.


What types of information will you need to explain

- We should explain what tests or examinations we are doing
- We need to explain our findings and what this may mean
- We should explain the diagnosis and our clinical reasoning
- We may need to explain a patient’s prognosis or the disease process
- We have to explain the treatment plan … which may involve procedures, medication, lifestyle changes
- And if the plan involves a referral – then we explain why and what can be expected to happen.
- Explanations are essential to gaining informed consent


What does PARSELY stand for

- think about what you are going to say and how you are going to say it
- introduction - explain the purpose/context of information

- what does the person know already and where did they find out this information
- how much information does the person want or need

- listen to what they know and confirm what is correct

Share information
- make the information manageable
- do you share the same information and understanding of the terms
- avoid jargon
- check you are pacing appropriately

- encougrage conversation so that you share an understanding
- offer the patient to stop if you if they have any questions or don't understand
- link explanation to what they already know and understand
- teach back - ask the patient what they have understood in their own words

- connect with the patient's feelings
- don't overwhelm them with information if they are distressed

you or me
- what are the next steps
- what will you do
- what will the patient do


Describe the elicit provide elicit/explore, explain, explore model

- find out what the patient knows (or wants to know) about the subject

- explain what is needed to help the patient get a better understanding

- find out what the patient understood or what the implications are for them


How to explain to a child

- what age are you
- what year are you in
- what's your favourite subject
- do you know what xx does for you
what do you think happens if you don't xx
- use of different animals to explain different things
- so what did you learn about sleep