Concept Map - Communication Skills

Successful communication is crucial in the pharmacy practice. The lack of effective communication between the pharmacist and a patient could lead to negative health outcomes. A disconnect in communication could negatively affect the patient's understanding of the indication and directions for their medication.

Effective communication is dependent on the existence of trusting relationships between pharmacists and their patients. The first chance to develop such a relationship occurs during the patient interview. Pharmacists commonly conduct patient interviews when a new patient arrives at the pharmacy to fill their prescription. These interviews are aimed to elicit important information from patients regarding their current medication regimen. Through the interview process, a pharmacist can determine if a patient understands the importance for all of their existing medications and if the patient perceives these medications to be safe and effective. This information is important to prevent any adverse drug interactions and to make sure that the patient attains the best possible health outcomes.

The patient interview is carefully constructed in a way that allows the patient to develop a trusting relationship with the pharmacist. Although pharmacists try to meet specific goals with the patient interview, they are encouraged to listen carefully during the interview process. To listen effectively, pharmacists eliminate distractions, concentrate fully on the patient, and refrain from interrupting. When pharmacists ask questions during the interview, they are advised to carefully consider the timing and phrasing of the questions to prevent defensive responses from a patient. Also, pharmacists should use a patient-centered approach by asking open-ended questions during the interview process. These tactics help to establish rapport between the pharmacist and the patient. The trusting relationship that is created during the patient interview will continue to grow with subsequent interactions between pharmacists and patients.

While the standard guidelines for the patient interview are well established, a pharmacist will have to employ a different approach for patient interviews with patients who have sensory impairments because these impairments can act as communication barriers between a health care provider and a patient. Hearing impairment is a common sensory impairment that could affect the interview process. Although many patients will not openly admit that they have difficulty hearing, there are various cues that indicate hearing impairment. Some patients may position their head to direct sound toward their ear or make a more obvious gesture such as cupping their hand around their ear to indicate that they are having difficulty hearing. Others may continually ask to repeat certain parts of a conversation or give an inappropriate response to the questions asked.

When working with hearing-impaired patients, pharmacists are advised to position themselves close to the patient in a private area where there is good lighting and minimal background noise. While speaking, pharmacists should maintain a constant vocal volume and speak at a slow pace using short, simple sentences. Throughout this process, a pharmacist should pause throughout the conversation to gauge that the patient understands the key points being discussed.

Although there are many potential challenges in communication with patients, there are means to verify the effectiveness of the communication. A tactic that a pharmacist can use is to request feedback from the patient. During a conversation, the sender develops a message and conveys this