1
RSPT 1410
Patient Communication
2
Roles Of The Respiratory Therapist
•  Clinician
•  Educator
•  Interviewer
•  Communicator
3
Requirements For Communication
•  _______________ – sends out the signal
•  _______________ – the information the transmitter
wants to pass along
•  _______________ – receives and processes the
signal into usable information
Communicating with Your Patiens
1
4
Ten Tips For Effective Communication
1.  Show your professionalism
2.  Control the environment
3.  Shut up and listen
4.  Minimize medical terminology
5.  Recognize different learning styles
5
Ten Tips For Effective Communication
6.  Use examples and analogies
7.  Use a positive approach
8.  Focus on what to do and what to avoid
9.  Test your patients – the right way
10. End with “What else can I answer?”
6
1- Show Your Professionalism
•  “You can’t teach someone who isn’t ____________”
•  Who do people listen to?
–  those in authority
–  those they respect
–  those they trust
Communicating with Your Patiens
2
7
1- Show Your Professionalism
•  First impression – very short, very ____________
•  Major factor in patient trust
•  Professionalism is
–  _______________
–  attitude
–  mannerisms and speech
8
1- Show Your Professionalism
•  Focus on the patient, not on you
•  Make the patient feel “_______________”
•  “Professional” does not mean “cold”
•  Try to make a personal connection
•  Your actions can affect patient _______________
9
2- Control The Environment
•  _______________ Environment
• Lighting
• Temperature
• Noise
• Privacy
• Distance
Communicating with Your Patiens
3
10
2- Control The Environment
•  Communication Environment
• Sensory/emotional factors
– Fear
– Stress, anxiety
– Pain
– Mental acuity
– Sight, speech, hearing impairments
11
2- Control The Environment
•  Communication Environment
•  _______________ factors
•  Previous experiences
•  Self concept
•  Attitudes, values
•  Listening habits
•  Cultural heritage
•  Preoccupations, feelings
•  Religious beliefs
•  Illness
12
2- Control The Environment
•  Communication Environment
• _______________ expression
– Language barrier
– Jargon
– Choice of words/questions
– Voice tone
– Feedback
Communicating with Your Patiens
4
13
2- Control The Environment
•  Communication Environment
• _______________ expression
– Body movement
– Facial expressions
– Dress, professionalism
– Warmth, interest
14
2- Control The Environment
•  Have the right message
•  Use the right channel
15
3- Shut Up And Listen
•  _______________ to your patient’s concerns
•  _______________ “between the lines”
•  Don’t convey the message “I need to be somewhere
else”
•  Give your patient your most valuable assets- -your
_______________ and _______________
Communicating with Your Patiens
5
16
4- Minimize Medical Terminology
•  Medical terminology should be used to communicate,
not complicate
•  Longest word in the English language:
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
•  Don’t be “idiopathic”
17
5- Recognize Different Learning Styles
•  Respect your patient’s _______________
•  Scientific and analytic professionals often learn best
when given step-by-step explanations
•  “_______________” learners need to see the whole
picture first; then they can work out the details
18
5- Recognize Different Learning Styles
•  “_______________” learners find pictures, graphs
and diagrams far more accessible than words
•  “Stream of consciousness” learners may catch on
quicker if you tell the story of a typical patient,
adding variations to fit the individual
Communicating with Your Patiens
6
19
5- Recognize Different Learning Styles
•  “_______________” learners do well if you give
them a set of rules
•  “_______________” learners don’t trust their
ears; they want to handle something to see how it
works
•  Explain things in different ways and use several
methods that reinforce each other
20
6- Use Examples And Analogies
•  You know, and I know, but does your patient?
•  Use familiar concepts, not purely scientific ones
21
7- Use A Positive Approach
•  It takes 10 “strokes” to cancel one negative
criticism
•  Don’t focus on what the patient is doing wrong
•  Focus on what the patient can do to have a better
outcome
Communicating with Your Patiens
7
22
8- Focus On What To Do and What To Avoid
•  It’s not always necessary to focus just on the
medical reasons for therapy
•  Help your patients understand how to do what they
need to do
•  Help your patients understand what they should not
do
23
9- Test Your Patients – The Right Way
•  “Yes, I understand” may mean “No, I’m confused,
but I know you don’t have the time to explain it
again”
•  Have patients _______________ your
_______________ in their own words
•  If possible, have the patient _______________
24
10- End With “What Else Can I Answer?”
•  This _______________ is just as important as
everything else you have done
•  Don’t ask this question with one hand on the
doorknob
•  Make your patient feel comfortable about asking
questions and clarifying points
Communicating with Your Patiens
8
25
Summary
•  Be _______________
•  Know what you want to _______________
•  _______________ more than you talk
•  Match your _______________ style to your
patient’s _______________ style
26
Summary
•  Be _______________
•  Focus on your patients and their needs
•  Test your patient’s _______________
•  Give your patient the _______________ to voice
concerns, ask questions and clarify points
27
Communicating with Your Patiens
9