Patient Communication Skills Flashcards

A patient with limited English proficiency needs discharge instructions. What is the BEST approach?

Answer: Use a qualified medical interpreter

Using a qualified medical interpreter ensures accurate and unbiased communication for patients with limited English proficiency.

Which technique best demonstrates active listening during a patient interview?

Answer: Maintaining eye contact and nodding appropriately

Maintaining eye contact and nodding shows the patient they are being heard and encourages continued communication.

A patient becomes tearful when discussing their diagnosis. The healthcare worker should FIRST:

Answer: Offer a tissue and acknowledge their feelings

Acknowledging the patient's emotional response shows empathy and helps build therapeutic rapport before continuing.

Closed-ended questions are MOST useful when:

Answer: Gathering specific factual information quickly

Closed-ended questions elicit specific yes/no or factual answers, making them efficient for gathering precise clinical data.

Which statement by a healthcare worker BEST reflects the use of 'I' messages in therapeutic communication?

Answer: 'I feel concerned when appointments are missed because it affects your care.'

'I' messages express the speaker's perspective without blaming the patient, reducing defensiveness and promoting dialogue.

When documenting a patient's statement in the medical record, the healthcare worker should:

Answer: Record the patient's exact words in quotation marks

Recording exact patient statements in quotes accurately preserves the patient's own account for legal and clinical purposes.

A patient refuses to make eye contact and gives one-word answers. The MOST appropriate response is to:

Answer: Use open-ended questions and allow periods of silence

Open-ended questions and comfortable silences invite a withdrawn patient to engage at their own pace without pressure.