Listening & Empathic responce P3

EMPATHY AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Empathy has many positive effects. It helps patients come to trust ‎you as someone who cares about their welfare. It helps patients ‎understand their own feelings more clearly. Often their concerns are only ‎vaguely perceived until they begin to talk with someone. ‎
In addition, an empathic response facilitates the patient’s own ‎problem-solving ability. If they are allowed to express their feelings in a ‎safe atmosphere, patients may begin to feel more in control by ‎understanding their feelings better. ‎
Patients may also feel freer to explore possible solutions or ‎different ways of coping with their own problems.‎
As an example, put yourself in the role of a community pharmacist. Your ‎patient, Mr. Raymond, talks about his physician: “I’ve been to Dr. ‎Johnson several times because I heard he was a good doctor. But he just ‎doesn’t seem to care.‎
I have to wait endlessly in the waiting room even with an ‎appointment. Then when I do get to see him, he rushes in and out so fast I ‎don’t have a chance to talk to him. Oh, he’s pleasant enough. I just get the ‎feeling he doesn’t have time to talk to me.”‎
Which of the following comes closest to being the type of response ‎you would find yourself making to Mr. Raymond? Place a “1” next to a ‎statement that you would definitely use, place a “2” next to a statement ‎that you might use, and place a “3” next to a statement that you would ‎never use.‎
‎——— a. “You have to understand that Dr. Johnson is a very busy man. ‎He probably doesn’t mean to be abrupt.”‎
‎——— b. “Dr. Johnson is a very good physician. I am sure he gives ‎patients the best care possible.”‎
‎——— c. “I don’t blame you for being upset. You shouldn’t have to wait ‎that long when you have an appointment.”‎
‎——— d. “Tell him how you feel about the way he treats patients. ‎Otherwise, find a different physician.”‎
‎——— e. “I’m sure you just happened to see him when he was having a ‎bad day. I bet if you keep going to him, things will improve.”‎
‎——— f. “I know how you feel. I hate to wait in doctor’s offices, too.”‎
‎——— g. “No one feels that they have enough time to talk with their ‎doctors.”‎
‎——— h. “How long do you usually have to wait before you get in to see ‎him?”‎
‎——— i. “Let me talk with you about the new prescription you’re ‎getting.”‎
‎——— j. “You seem to feel there’s something missing in your ‎relationship with Dr. Johnson—that there isn’t the caring you would ‎like.”‎
Now that you have indicated which statements you are likely to ‎give, it is important to analyze how Mr. Raymond may perceive each ‎statement. Many times, we attempt to say something that we feel is ‎valuable to patients, but our statements are perceived very differently by ‎the patient. This is due, in part, to possible hidden messages that we ‎convey. Consider the possible hidden messages that you may have ‎conveyed to Mr. Raymond with each of the above responses.‎
‎1.‎ JUDGING RESPONSE
While conveying understanding seems so obviously a part of good ‎communication, a number of less helpful responses are frequently used in ‎communication with others. ‎
Often, for example, we tend to judge or evaluate another’s feelings. ‎We tell patients in various ways that they “shouldn’t” feel discouraged or ‎frustrated, that they “shouldn’t” worry, that they “shouldn’t” question ‎their treatment by other health professionals. ‎
Any message from you that indicates you think patients “wrong” or ‎‎“bad” or that they “shouldn’t” feel the way they do will indicate that it is ‎not safe to confide in you. In the example above, responses [a] “You have ‎to understand that Dr. Johnson is a very busy man. He probably doesn’t ‎mean to be abrupt.” and [b] “Dr. Johnson is a very good physician. I’m ‎sure he gives patients the best care possible.” indicated that you thought ‎Mr. Raymond was “wrong” or that he misperceived the situation. ‎
In either case, the judgment was conveyed that he “shouldn’t” feel ‎as he does. Even response [c] “I don’t blame you for being upset. You ‎shouldn’t have to wait that long when you have an appointment.” is an ‎evaluative judgment that Mr. Raymond’s feelings are “right” or ‎‎“justified” and also implies that it is appropriate for you to judge his ‎feelings as “right” or “wrong.”‎
‎2.‎ ADVISING RESPONSE
We also tend to give advice. We get so caught up in our role as “expert” ‎or “professional” that we lose sight of the limits of our expertise. ‎Obviously, we must, as pharmacists, give patients advice on their ‎medication regimens. That is part of our professional responsibility. ‎However, the advising role may not be appropriate in helping a patient ‎deal with emotional or personal problems. ‎
The best source of problem solution resides within the patient. It is ‎presumptuous of us to feel we can offer a quick “solution” to another’s ‎personal concern. ‎
In addition, it conveys to patients that we do not perceive them as ‎competent to arrive at their own decisions. Even when the advice is ‎reasonable, it is not a decision that patients have arrived at themselves. ‎Relying on others for advice may keep patients “dependent,” seeing ‎others as the source of problem solving. In the example with Mr. ‎Raymond, your advice in response [d] “Tell him how you feel about the ‎way he treats patients. Otherwise, find a different physician.” gives a ‎quick (and rather presumptuous) “solution” to what is a complex problem ‎in the eyes of Mr. Raymond. ‎
There are times when patients do want advice and are looking for ‎help with their problems. Assisting them in identifying sources of help ‎they can call on may be an appropriate way to help patients. Suggesting ‎alternatives for consideration may also be helpful. In this type of ‎response, you are serving as a sounding board for decisions the patient ‎makes rather than providing your own solutions.‎
There are times, of course, when patients are not capable of coping ‎with their own feelings or problems. A typical example is the patient who ‎is severely depressed. Being able to recognize the signs of depression and ‎referring patients to sources of help, such as the family physician or a ‎local mental health service, are professional functions you must be ‎prepared to perform. However, most people who are ill have transient ‎feelings of depression and worry that are a normal reaction to the illness. ‎They need to be provided with concerned, empathic care.‎