Interpersonal Skills

Reviewing your Communication Skills

Use the following websites to revisit some of the communication theory you were exposed to as a student. These sites will enable you to diagnose and identify areas you need to focus upon in order to develop your interpersonal skills.

http://www.mindtools.com

http://www.skillsyouneed.co.uk/interpersonal_skills.html

http://athens.goodpractice.net/nhs/nhs.aspx

A good activity within the Goodpractice.net toolkit is "Am I a good listener?" Try the self assessment early on in starting a new post or new rotation to find out more about your strengths and learning needs in this important area. (NB Athens log-in required)

Observing Communication Skills

This is a useful activity to carry out early in your first job or new rotation. It will help you to gain an insight and overview of the interpersonal skills you will need to develop to work with patients and clients.

Observe your preceptor or another experienced practitioner interacting with a patient/client and note the communication skills they use. You should now ask your preceptor or another experienced practitioner to observe your interaction in a similar situation. Now ask for feedback on your interaction in order to assist you to enhance your interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal Communication Skills - PDP

With your preceptor/NHS KSF reviewer discuss the expectations and standards around interpersonal communication skills in this clinical area/team. Reviewing your NHS KSF Foundation Outline will clarify the broad areas you need to achieve in this first year. Identify and agree the priorities for you to work towards over the next three months. Make sure this is reflected in your Personal Development Plan.

Repeat this activity every 3 months.

Communication challenges for individuals

Here are some of the personal challenges to effective communication which you will be exposed to within your first year as a newly qualified practitioner.

· Lack of skill and understanding
· Undervaluing the importance of communication
· Lack of confidence
· Human failings such as anxiety, stress, tiredness
· Inconsistency in information giving

Identify the personal communication skills which could help minimise the impact of these challenges. Try these skills out in your current clinical setting and make a portfolio entry.

Prioritising Interpersonal Communication Skills

Prioritise and select one or two of your learning needs in communication, for example, you may want to improve your non-verbal communication, your listening skills or explaining things in lay terms. In discussion with your preceptor, identify a patient/client and agree a plan of action where you will test out your skills.

At your next review meeting feedback on the interaction and its outcomes.

Communication and emotions

It is inevitable, at some point in your first year as a newly qualified practitioner, that you will be involved in sharing information with patients and relatives which will provoke an emotional response, for example, tears, anger or disbelief. Think about which communication skills you would use and how you would approach this. What support is available for team members when such challenges arise?

Portfolio - Interpersonal Communication Skills

Having worked through a selection of the activities in this section, you should summarise your learning, highlighting how this will affect your future practice. You can share your findings with your preceptor, and make a date in your diary to revisit your interpersonal communication skills.

Discussion Forum

In your first year of practice, communication skills are core to your development and you will have learnt a lot about yourself and the challenges of being an excellent communicator in all sorts of situations. Consider sharing your experiences with the Flying Start NHS community.

Communicating with Children

Communicating with children in the healthcare setting can be difficult.

The following website discusses how best to talk to children who are unwell http://www.ncb.org.uk/resources/free_resources/communicating_with_children.aspx