Topic outline
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Learning Activity 1
In this activity, you will watch videos displaying contrasting examples of empathetic listening in a health care setting. You will then proceed to complete a learning activity to consolidate your learning of empathetic listening by summarising the main differences between the videos.
The next pair of videos present contrasting examples of the effectiveness of communication between an Occupational Therapist and an older man during a home visit. Watch them and try to identify some key differences between the two versions.Once you've considered the differences, you can see what we think below. -
Here are our thoughts on this activity.
In the first video, the Occupational Therapist (OT) tends to rush the patient and tries to push him into compliance with the intervention. She makes the mistake of bluntly telling him that he has dementia and repeatedly asks him to remember events that he can't. She doesn't really explain the intervention clearly, but gets impatient with him when he doesn't understand. She then threatens negative consequences if the intervention is not implemented. She refuses to call the patient support person, despite his wishes, and undertakes intrusive actions (going through the house) without the patient's full permission. Not a great consultation!
In the second video, the OT chats with the patient and uses common areas of interest to establish a rapport. She is patient and unhurried, shows empathy to his situation, and reassures him. She clearly explains her role and the intended intervention, and ensures that she listens to and responds to the patient's concerns. Critically she asks for his approval for the intervention, and encourages him to contact his support person.
Involving the patient positively in this intervention is much more likely to lead to a successful outcome.
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