WAYS TO ELICIT AND EXPLORE THE PATIENT’S IDEAS/CONCERNS OR EXPECTATIONS:
In the OET Speaking exam, the second sub-criteria under clinical communication criteria is “Understanding and incorporating the patient’s perspective”, which is commonly overlooked by students. It is essential to incorporate it to understand the patients’ feelings better.
The word ‘elicit’ means ‘to draw or evoke (a reaction, answer, or a fact) from someone.
When communicating with elderly, challenging, withdrawn, sad, or depressed patients, It is crucial to elicit their feelings and reactions constantly.
There are several ways by which we can do the former.
For instance, some patients might have difficulty disclosing/discussing some information about their condition, especially if they are anxious, embarrassed, or uncomfortable talking about it.
Following are the phrase that can be used to elicit information or explore ideas/feelings –
- Can I ask what you are thinking at the moment?
- You seem worried. Would you mind telling me what’s bothering you?
- Could you tell me how this makes you feel?
- I can see that this has made you concerned. What can I do to help you feel less anxious?
- Can you tell me something about your state of mind right now?
- It seems you’ve got something on your mind. Do you mind sharing it with me?
We could also try to reassure these patients by using normalizing statements and telling them they are not alone in having these problems or experiences.
Example –
- Many people have difficulty taking the initial steps to lose weight.
- Many people find the instructions/guidelines for taking their medication complicated.
- This is a common problem, sometimes connected to not getting enough physical activity.
- It is perfectly natural for people to feel this way.
- It is a common occurrence, and it’s not unusual for this to happen to people in your age group.
Our Courses | Students Feedback