Roles in practice: 1.2: Communicator: Videos

This scenario focuses on balancing the need to elicit information from the patient whilst maintaining rapport and meeting the patient’s needs and expectations. It also provides the opportunity to generate positive expectations regarding the approaching anaesthetic. The development of trust and rapport improves the quality of the interaction and elicits better quality information from the patient as well as improving their overall experience.

This scenario demonstrates a variety of communication skills pertinent to communicating with a conscious patient in the theatre environment. Particular emphasis is placed on managing common patient experiences such as anxiety, nausea and pain in a way that reassures the patient, avoids nocebo language and supports choice and autonomy. This approach helps produces a positive experience for the mother and partner by building trust and a sense of participation in the process.

This scenario demonstrates the process of consent with emphasis on establishing and maintaining rapport with the patient, using a patient centric approach that supports choice and autonomy. The use of nocebo language is avoided as this can generate anxiety and distress that impacts negatively on the patient’s ability to engage.

This scenario focuses particularly on difficult conversations, responding to emotional distress and uncertainty and the pro-cess of shared decision making. It aims to demonstrate the trajectory of the conversation using the GREAT template and responding to emotion using NURSE. It is important to recognize the value of silence and non-verbal communication in these situations.

This scenario focuses on explaining a procedure to a patient in a supportive and open manner that avoids the use of nocebo language which has the potential to generate anxiety and distress in patients. Using positive language helps support patients and harnesses the power of suggestion to improve the patient’s experience.