Transcript theme 5: giving bad news

COURSE SYLLABUS
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Psychology and visual health
Non-verbal communication
The visual exam
Performance of the optometric exam
Giving bad news
Difficult patients and managing complaints
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
STRUCTURE OF THE THEME:
1. Giving bad news
2. Basic communication rules for giving
bad news
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
1. Giving bad news
THE OPTOMETRIST PLAYS A
FUNDAMENTAL ROLE
– Getting patients to talk about their
difficulties
– Providing the necessary information
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
STAGES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
REACTION TO THE LOSS/DECREASE
IN VISION:
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Desperation
Rage
Negation
Depression
Acceptation
KEEP THIS IN MIND TO KNOW
WHICH STATE THE PATIENT IS IN
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
CHALLENGE: PATIENTS WITH VISUAL DEFICIENCIES OR
DISFIGURED EYES
– Help them to identify their needs
– Expectations at a realistic level
– Get the patient to investigate his/her priorities
– Be very clear when describing the treatment
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
2. Basic communication rules for giving bad news:
– Privacy
– Comfortable physical environment
– Figuring out the patient’s level of information and understanding
regarding the situation
– Do not presuppose that the patient “knows”
– Consider the patient’s emotions: verbal and non-verbal clues
– Ask to what degree they want to know about and understand
their problem
THEME 5: GIVING BAD NEWS
• HOW TO GIVE THE INFORMATION
– Small fragments
– Avoid overly technical language
– Repeat information
– Check what has been understood
– Make sure that the patient has received
the information he/she needs