Communication Skills for the Health Care Professional

/in /by

1) Discuss the differences between verbal and non-verbal communication.

2) Give at least 3 examples of each  (be specific and provide details as appropriate). Use examples from your readings, “Communicating with Patients in Crisis” and “Communicating Effectively with Patients Displaying Significant Negative or Resistive Coping Responses”.

Discussion Board Requirements: 250 word count One original post and two reply posts, APA Format, please include references 

Communication

Skills

for the

Health Care

Professional

Concepts, Practice, and Evidence

Gwen van Servellen

CHAPTER 15

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Chapter 15
Communicating with Patients in Crisis

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Objectives

  • Define crisis response
  • Individuals and groups in crisis
  • Dysfunctional communication in times of crisis
  • Relevance of stress and adaptation in periods of crisis
  • Adaptive and maladaptive coping responses

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Objectives Continued

  • Stressors, coping resources, and stress resistance resources
  • Differentiate between situational and developmental crisis
  • Stages of crisis resolution
  • Interventions to manage highly anxious patients
  • Interventions to manage agitated and/or confused patients

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Definition of Crisis and Crisis Responses

  • More change is required of an individual than capable to deal with at the time
  • Assumptions
  • Not all crises are incapacitating
  • Persons experience crisis in isolation of others
  • Persons can worsen each others responses through further excitation
  • Crisis is not the same as the stressor itself

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Dysfunctional Aspects of Crisis Communication

  • Difficulty in perceiving accurately
  • Abilities of processing information may be impaired
  • Ability to express ideas, thoughts, and emotions may be limited
  • Perceived state of disorganization can increase these deficits

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Impact: Over Stimulation and Under Stimulation

  • Over stimulation
  • Rapid bombardment or excessive stimuli
  • Not too much but stimuli are noxious
  • Exceed tolerance level
  • Inability to hear, speak, and if they do hear, unable to move

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Stress Theories and Understanding Crisis

  • Levels of anxiety and effects on patients; mild to severe and panic
  • Stress and adaptation
  • Lazarus and Folkman (1984) coping always discussed when stress effects are analyzed
  • Studies of stress of different kinds; and stress of the same kind across several groups of individuals

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Adaptive Coping Responses

  • Seek information
  • Seek comfort/support from friends or family
  • Search for solutions to the problem(s)
  • Self-talk that will help them feel better
  • Seek professional counseling or advice

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Types of Crisis

Developmental Crises: interruption or unsatisfactory passing from one psychosocial task and developmental phase that correspond also to physical developmental growth

Situational: Crisis emanates from precipitating events that occur and are typically out of the person’s realm of expectancy.

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Caring for Patients in Crisis

  • Do not re-victimize in the process of helping
  • Establish an emotional or psychological connection with the patient and family
  • Do not challenge the validity of the crisis situation or underestimate its effect
  • Practice active listening skills, direct straightforward approach, become aware of personal responses and their impact

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Summary

Crisis is unavoidable; many illness or injury events can be perceived as a crisis to the patient and family. More needs to be known about the unique expression of crisis across individuals and communities.

© 2009 Jones and Bartlett Publishers