PCT Communication Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way to address a patient?
- Use terms like 'honey' or 'sweetie' to seem friendly
- Call the patient by their preferred name or Mr./Ms. as appropriate (Correct answer)
- Always use the patient's first name regardless of preference
- Avoid addressing the patient by name to protect privacy
Correct answer: Call the patient by their preferred name or Mr./Ms. as appropriate
Using a patient's preferred name shows respect and dignity; nicknames can feel demeaning to some patients.
Question 2: A PCT receives a phone call from someone claiming to be the patient's physician asking for lab results. The PCT should:
- Read all results to the caller since they identified as the physician
- Transfer the call to the nurse and avoid disclosing information without verification (Correct answer)
- Look up the results and email them to the caller
- Tell the caller the patient's room number so they can visit
Correct answer: Transfer the call to the nurse and avoid disclosing information without verification
Identity cannot be verified by phone alone; the nurse should handle all information requests from unverified callers.
Question 3: What does the term 'empathy' mean in the context of patient care?
- Feeling sorry for the patient and expressing pity
- Understanding and sharing the feelings of the patient without judgment (Correct answer)
- Solving all of the patient's problems personally
- Agreeing with everything the patient says
Correct answer: Understanding and sharing the feelings of the patient without judgment
Empathy involves recognizing and acknowledging a patient's emotional experience to build therapeutic rapport.
Question 4: When using a whiteboard in a patient's room, the PCT should ensure it includes:
- Only the patient's medical diagnosis for quick reference
- The patient's name, care team, date, and care goals (Correct answer)
- Personal staff phone numbers for patient use
- Medication schedules in full medical detail
Correct answer: The patient's name, care team, date, and care goals
Whiteboards are patient-facing communication tools that display orientation information and care team details.
Question 5: A patient becomes verbally aggressive during care. The PCT should FIRST:
- Restrain the patient to ensure safety
- Remain calm, set a professional limit, and notify the nurse (Correct answer)
- Argue back to establish authority
- Leave without saying anything and not return
Correct answer: Remain calm, set a professional limit, and notify the nurse
De-escalation through calm professional communication and prompt nurse notification is the safest first response.
Question 6: Which behavior by a PCT is an example of a communication barrier?
- Using age-appropriate language with a child
- Speaking medical jargon to a patient unfamiliar with healthcare terms (Correct answer)
- Asking open-ended questions to gather information
- Using an interpreter for a non-English-speaking patient
Correct answer: Speaking medical jargon to a patient unfamiliar with healthcare terms
Medical jargon creates confusion for patients who lack clinical training and hinders effective communication.
Question 7: After providing patient education about a procedure, the best way to confirm the patient understands is to:
- Ask 'Do you understand?' and accept a yes answer
- Use the teach-back method and ask the patient to explain it in their own words (Correct answer)
- Give the patient a written pamphlet and assume they will read it
- Have the patient sign a consent form immediately
Correct answer: Use the teach-back method and ask the patient to explain it in their own words
The teach-back method reliably confirms patient comprehension by having them restate the information.
PCT Communication Skills 5
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way to address a patient?