OPTO2003 Communication for the Consulting Room

This topic will provide students with a broad array of communication skills as used in health care. The emphasis is on communication skills required in the consulting room, but coverage is given to broader communication skills for health professional practice. Students will learn and apply the principles of effective interpersonal and inter-professional communication and develop oral presentation skills. Skills will be developed in a workshop environment with exposure to clinical scenarios containing different issues, such as age differences in communication expectations, cultural differences, indigenous patients, gender issues, ethical communication, complaints, breaking bad news, handling sight loss and other common condition-related issues. Learning skills will include group work, reflection presentation and different contexts.

This topic aims to:

• Introduce students to the principles of communication skills in health care
• Emphasise the importance of self-reflection and awareness, empathy, respect, age and gender issues, cultural safety and ethics in communication
• Begin to develop an understanding of the communication skills required for challenging situations in the consulting room

1. Understand and apply communication skills principles for interpersonal and inter-professional communication in health care
2. Reflect on personal communication skills to identify further learning
3. Develop a greater understanding of their own values and the impact of values and judgements on communication
4. Develop skills in working collaboratively and oral presentation skills
5. Understand the cultural safety and ethical communication principles
6. Obtain a case history
7. Effectively communicate a management plan