Year 1 CCS1: Clinical Communication Skills

Introduction to Communication in Healthcare

1. Discuss the case for improving communication in healthcare.
2. Describe what is meant by patient-centred communication.
3. Explain the importance of exploring the consequences of ill health on patients’ lives, their means of coping, their health beliefs and their experiences and expectations of health services.
4. Describe a range of models of communication which provide a framework for promoting good communication
5. Appreciate the purpose and structure of a medical history.
6. Appreciate the importance of reflection and development of self-awareness in relation to learning communication skills.

Clinical Skills: Respiratory

1. Carry out respiratory examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort
2. Carry out the following examinations: deformities, scars, drains, respiratory effort, coughs, sneezes, wheezes, sputum, respiraory rate, lymph nodes, trachea, chest expansion, percussion, vocal fremitus

Clinical Skills: Abdomen

1. Carry out abdominal examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort
2. Carry out the following examinations: inspection of abdomen; palpation and percussion for liver and spleen, balloting for kidneys, listening for bowel sounds

Clinical Skills: Neuro Limbs

1. carry out examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort.
2. Examine patient for upper limb tone, lower limb tone, upper limb power, lower limb power, biceps tendon reflex, patellar tendon reflex

Clinical Skills: Cranial Nerves

1. Carry out examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort
2. Carry out competent performance of: visual field examination by confrontation, eye movement examination, facial muscles examination and examinationm of the trigeminal and facial nerves

Clinical Skills: Cardiovascular

1. Carry out cardiovascular examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort
2. Carry out the following measurements using appropriate techniques: radial and brachial pulses, systolic and diastolic pulses, Korotkoff sound interpretation, JVP, apex beat, carotid pulse, dorsalis pedis pulse, posterior tibial pulse
3. Examine feet for peripheral oedema

Clinical Skills: Joints

1. Carry out examination with due consideration of professional values: hand-washing, introduction, requesting permission, thanking patient, considering patient comfort
2. Undertake patient examination, including visual assessment of patient wellness; feet to face examination; clinical clues evaluation; assessment of vitals
3. Examine the knee including visual observation, feel, move, testing and function
4. Examine the elbow including visual observation, feel, move, special testing and function

Communication & Diversity

1. Consider diversity in the context of GMC Duties of a Doctor
2. To recognise the importance of cultural factors as they affect equality of access, patient care and safety
3. To increase awareness of our cultural influences and what the practitioner and patient brings to the medical encounter
4. Create a learning environment of interest, enthusiasm, curiosity, respect and safety to share, if you want to, your views, experiences and knowledge

Communication with People with Hearing Impairment

1. Explain the Disability Discrimination Act and its purpose
2. Describe the prevalence and pattern of hearing impairment in the population
3. Describe methods of working with hard of hearing people including lip reading, hearing aids and signing
4. Describe what is meant by deaf culture and the implications of this for communicating with people who have a hearing impairment.
5. Describe the principles of British Sign Language and be understood using basic signs.
6. Identify ways of enhancing communication with people who have a hearing impairment.

Communication with People with Visual Impairment

1. Explain the Disability Discrimination Act and its purpose.
2. Describe the prevalence and pattern of vision impairment in the population.
3. Describe how visual impairment affects blind and partially sighted people.
4. Offer practical hands on assistance to individual blind and partially sighted people in the (RNIB) recommended manner.
5. Identify ways of enhancing communication with people who have a hearing or vision impairment.
6. Know causes of global blindness.
7. Know causes of adult blindness in the UK.
8. Know causes of childhood blindness in the UK.
9. Know of strategies for improving function with cerebral visual impairment.

SDL : E-learning Module - Initiating the Consultation

SDL : E-learning Module - Information Gathering and History Taking

SDL : E-learning Module - Explanation and Planning

SDL : E-learning Module - Building the Relationship

SDL : E-learning Module - Structuring the Consultation

SDL : E-learning Module - Introduction to Effective Clinical Communication

SDL : E-learning Module - Closing the Consultation

Workshop 1: Patient-centred Communication

1. Identify appropriate professional behaviour in relation to interactions with patients and colleagues.
2. Identify barriers and enablers to effective communication and recognise the responsibility that health care professionals have in overcoming barriers.
3. Demonstrate an awareness of the patient’s/relatives concerns and how these might be presented.
4. Recognise and respond to patient’s cues.
5. Negotiate patients’ consent to help in students’ learning.
6. Demonstrate skills in introduction, initiation of the history and exploration of the patient’s problem (medical and psychosocial).
7. Demonstrate respect and empathy and to establish rapport using verbal and non-verbal skills.
8. Manage professional boundaries appropriately. (To deal with a patient’s questions up to the level of their competence, respond appropriately to a patient’s complaint and requests).
9. Give and receive feedback that is useful for learning.

Workshop 2: Communication - Working with Health Beliefs and Culture

1. To increase awareness of relevant issues related to culture and health beliefs.
2. To identify the potential effects of culture, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, socio-economic status and cultural environment on communication in healthcare settings.
3. To explore the skills of acknowledging cultural norms in a respectful manner.
4. To develop understanding of the role of advocates and interpreters.
5. To observe examples of best practice.
6. To consider how variation in social relations and health beliefs can affect communication in health care settings.
7. To consider how linguistic and politeness conventions can aid or interfere with communication.