The book 'The bible of clinical communication' by Professors Superman Kurs and Driver is well worth reading. The book presents the Cambridge guidelines model, describing 72 skills related to clinical communication. It is based on research and examples, making it extremely helpful for both students and those already working in the field. It is not only reading and listening that will enable us to acquire this knowledge, but it is essential in developing our skills.
Communication is an important part of our lives and it is immersed in the culture of a country or continent. Research indicates that there are 72 universal communication skills that are cross-cultural. Nevertheless, there are also aspects of communication that are specific to Poland. Fortunately, there are publications on this topic, such as 'How to talk effectively to a patient and his or her family', published in collaboration with the Medical University of Bialystok and intended for GPs. The second publication, 'How to talk to the patient? The anatomy of communication in medical practice', contains a collection of monographs and articles on the subject, compiled under the scientific editorship of Professor Antonina Ostrowska. Both items are worth recommending as they are adapted to the difficult requirements of communication in Poland, including conversations with cancer patients and those with difficulties in defining their gender and those with special needs.
In the beginning, we got support from an international organisation that tries to support the teaching of communication all the time. On this organisation's website you can find all sorts of materials such as lesson plans, videos and protocols on communication. It is a good place for people looking for detailed information on communication. This organisation also puts you in contact with people from other countries, which gives you the opportunity to exchange experiences. So it seems to be an important place for people looking for more than just basic information.
Conducting patient consultations is an extremely important skill for doctors. It is important to have a clear understanding of what to teach and how to assess it, as this is crucial to the effectiveness of communication with the patient. Remember that communicating with a patient is not only about being polite and maintaining good manners, but also about ensuring the quality of communication and building trust.
Research shows that maintaining eye contact, asking open-ended questions and allowing the patient to talk about any problems that are troubling them can build a strong relationship and contribute to a better understanding of the patient. It is also important for the doctor to be flexible and open to the patient's needs, allowing them to talk about their problems and asking additional questions at the appropriate time.
In summary, conducting effective patient consultations requires good preparation, as well as attention to detail and flexibility in the conversation. Only in this way can we provide patients with quality medical care.
Values and skills are important in personal development. While a list of behaviours can be useful to learn these skills, we must not forget to develop our ethical stance and deal with difficulties. We must work on developing our values and strengths in order to become full and fully developed individuals. We must not stop at the stage of mechanically reproducing the behaviours on the list.