Training activity information
Details
Adapt and explain long term monitoring to a patient/carer with additional communication needs to ensure co-operation with the diagnostic testing
Type
Entrustable training activity (ETA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee repeatedly, consistently, and effectively over time, in a range of situations. This may include occasions where the trainee has not successfully achieved the outcome of the activity themselves. For example, because it was not appropriate to undertake the task in the circumstances or the trainees recognised their own limitations and sought help or advice to ensure the activity reached an appropriate conclusion.
Reflection at multiple timepoints on the trainee learning journey for this activity.
Considerations
- Patient centred care and support Communication skills
- Safeguarding
- Role of parents, guardians etc
- Informed consent
- Legislation
- Local, national and international guidelines
- Patient history
- Levels of patient co-operation
- Range of patient conditions e.g. dementia, learning disabilities or autism
- Language barriers
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
What does success look like?
- Identify what is expected of you in relation to effectively adapting and explaining the LTM procedure to a patient or carer who has specific additional communication needs, such that their cooperation with the diagnostic testing is ensured.
- Consider how the learning outcomes apply, specifically in relation to practicing according to relevant guidelines and protocols and demonstrating effective and compassionate communication skills with all stakeholders.
- Discuss with your training officer to gain clarity on successful communication strategies for explaining LTM to individuals with diverse communication challenges.
What is your prior experience of this activity?
- Think about what you already know about explaining medical procedures. Have you previously explained complex procedures like LTM, or adapted your communication for patients/carers with additional needs (e.g., language barriers, learning difficulties, hearing/visual impairments)?
- Consider possible challenges you might face during the activity, such as overcoming language barriers, simplifying complex information, managing anxiety or frustration, or using alternative communication methods.
- Recognise the scope of your own practice for this activity i.e. know when you will need to seek advice or help, and from whom. You will need to seek advice from your Training Officer when required, for example:
- Regarding the use of interpreters, specific communication aids, or gaining consent from individuals with impaired capacity
- If patient communication needs (e.g., severe learning difficulty) necessitate a deviation from standard departmental protocols
- Acknowledge how you feel about the prospect of communicating complex information about LTM to individuals with additional communication needs.
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- Consider the specific skills you want to develop, such as adapting explanations for the complex LTM procedure for patients/carers with diverse communication needs.
- Identify the specific insights you hope to gain into effective strategies for ensuring understanding and gaining cooperation through tailored communication.
What additional considerations do you need to make?
- Consult actions identified following previous experiences where communication was key to patient cooperation or understanding, especially with vulnerable individuals.
- Identify important information you need to consider before explaining the procedure, such as assessing the patient/carer’s specific communication needs, reviewing relevant guidelines on communicating with individuals with disabilities or language barriers, and preparing any necessary visual aids or simplified materials.
In action
Is anything unexpected occurring?
- Are you noticing anything surprising or different from what you anticipate whilst adapting and explaining the long-term monitoring procedure?
- Are you encountering situations such as:
- The patient or carer displays high anxiety or misunderstanding despite initial attempts to tailor the explanation, challenging cooperation?
- You encounter an unexpected communication barrier e.g., severe language barrier, pronounced cognitive impairment that was not previously detailed in initial notes?
- The patient/carer raises specific, complex concerns about video recording or data usage, requiring ethical clarification beyond routine discussion?
How are you reacting to the unexpected development?
- How is this impacting your actions? For example, are you responding to the situation appropriately? Are you adapting or changing your approach to communication technique or use of explanatory aids?
- Consider the steps you are taking in the moment, such as:
- Immediately adjusting verbal communication by using visual aids or simpler phrasing to gauge understanding.
- Seeking clarification from a colleague or communication specialist on procedures related to consent and capacity protocols for patients with specific communication needs.
- How are you feeling in that moment? For instance, are you finding it difficult to adapt your communication strategy dynamically to secure cooperation? Is it affecting your confidence in ensuring full comprehension and consent?
What is the conclusion or outcome?
- Identify how you are working within your scope of practice. For example, are you successfully adapting the explanation to secure cooperation and appropriate consent? Or are you needing support because the communication barrier requires external specialist intervention (e.g., interpreter)?
- What are you learning as a result of the unexpected development? For example, are you mastering a more compassionate and tailored strategy for addressing specific patient/carer concerns? Or gaining insight into the immediate steps required when facing complex ethical/communication hurdles?
On action
What happened?
- Begin by summarising the key points of the interaction where you explained the long-term monitoring procedure.
- Consider specific events, actions, or interactions which felt important, including your own feelings during the experience.
- How did you adapt your explanation of the long-term monitoring procedure for the specific patient/carer with additional communication needs? What techniques did you use?
- How did the patient and/or carer respond to your explanation?
- Did anything unexpected occur during the explanation or consent process? Include any moments where you adapted your approach in the moment (reflect-in-action).
How has this experience contributed to your developing practice?
- What learning can you take from this experience regarding adapting explanations and communicating effectively with patients/carers who have additional communication needs? What strengths did you demonstrate? What skills and/or knowledge gaps were evident, particularly in relation to following relevant guidelines/protocols?
- Compare this experience against previous engagement with similar communication activities. Has your practice improved?
- Identify any challenges you experienced in explaining the procedure or obtaining appropriate consent and how you reacted to these. Did adapting your approach impact the patient’s response or willingness to cooperate? Were you able to overcome the challenges?
- Identify anything significant about the activity. Did you need to seek advice or clarification regarding communication strategies or protocols?
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- Identify the actions or ‘next steps’ you will now take to support the assimilation of what you have learnt regarding adapting explanations and communicating with patients/carers with additional communication needs, including from any feedback you have received.
- What will you do differently next time you explain long term monitoring to a patient/carer with communication needs?
- Has anything changed in terms of what you would do if you were faced with a similar situation again?
- Do you need to practise any aspect of explaining procedures or specific communication techniques further? Do you need to review relevant guidelines or protocols for communication?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- Have you reviewed your previous reflections on adapting explanations for long-term monitoring for patients or carers with additional communication needs?
- What specific improvements did you identify regarding your communication or adaptation strategies in past reflections concerning this challenging patient group?
- Have you actively implemented these identified actions in your recent interactions with patients/carers requiring adapted communication for long-term monitoring? Are you ready to demonstrate enhanced skills in adapting explanations?
- Has discussing challenging communication scenarios with peers or senior staff provided new insights that alter your perspective on your past experiences?
How have these experiences impacted upon current practice?
- How does reviewing your history of adapting explanations for long-term monitoring inform your preparation for Observed Communication Events (OCEs), such as gaining consent or explaining procedures for long-term monitoring in different settings?
- How has your skill in adapting and explaining procedures for long-term monitoring, especially for individuals with additional communication needs, improved over time?
- Does revisiting past experiences help you identify situations where you might need assistance or senior input to effectively communicate or adapt procedures for a particularly challenging patient or carer?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 2 |
Outcome
Practice according to relevant guidelines and protocols. |