So, how did I get here?
Well, there have been many steps along this journey, and my personal experiences are some of my biggest influence on my choice to work, towards improving clinical conversations, that will help other patients.
I’m going to share one of my earliest clinical commmunication experiences with you.
As a teenager I had some breathing/sinus problems, and after a succession of infections my mum took me to the doctor. As a recalcitrant teen of course I was embarrassed and didn’t want to go but more than anything I was scared, about the prospect of needing surgery.
Here was how our conversation went
Dr: So, young lady, why are you here today?
Me: I dunno ask her (head nods towards mum)
Dr (sighs): I would like to know from you why you’ve come here today
Me: She made, me ask her
Dr: It’s about your acne isn’t it
Me ( horrified ): No! its my breathing, my nose!
Dr: Well let me give you something for your acne anyway…
Me: (looks at floor for rest of consultation)
As you can imagine I was mortified. This was also a busy East London GP practice. As you can imagine I was probably not the first grumpy teen that afternoon, and the doctor was probably trying to save time by getting to the point quickly. I can see he was trying to help me. But the effect was to feel unheard and unseen.
While I am less reticent now when taking with doctors about my health, I have had many similar medical interactions in more serious situations where, in the interests of saving time, the clinician misses valuable information. I can also see easily how, from their perspective, they would have no idea what was missed.
I am sure I have also done this in the past, especially before I refined my communication skills through training, and became more attuned to how these skills can lead to a better patient experience as well as better quality and more timely information for the clinician.
So, what could have been done differently, to be more effective? Let’s replay the conversation.
Dr: So, Linda, thanks for coming in, what has brought you here today?
Me: I dunno ask her (head nods towards mum)
Dr (responds to verbal cue): It sounds like you are not too happy about being here
Pause (silence)
Lots of people feel like that (normalisation) sometimes they are worried about something, but find it hard to say
Pause (silence)
(asks permission) Would it be ok if you tell me what your mum was worried about, and then what your thoughts are about it?
I’ll be honest, it would have taken me a lot to crack 15 year old me, but I do believe responding to my cues, and giving me a bit of space might have opened me up to a better conversation. And helped address my clinical needs.
These are the experiences that shape us all and our interactions with healthcare, they are the difference between feeling empowered and feeling demoralised.
Now I am part of the healthcare system want to contribute to making it better.
I hope to share more reflections, tips and evidence-based communication skills strategies with you through this platform.
If anything here resonates I would love to hear your experiences – get in touch through out contacts page.
