Communication skills for the pharmacist

Elements of communication Assumptions and expectations (1)

Introduction

Almost every thing we do in life depends on communication, so we need effective communication skills for pharmacists. Pharmacists spend a large proportion of each working day communicating with other people: patients, doctors, other health care professionals, staff and others.

Communication skills for the pharmacist

Over the recent years the public have been alerted by advertising campaigns to the availability of advice from pharmacists.

General practitioners are seeking advice from pharmacists. The role of pharmacists in all pharmacy settings has increasing emphasis on talking to patients and medical staff.

Poor communication

1. Poor communication has the potential to cause a range of problems.

• incorrect drug dosage or

For example, if there is incomplete communication with health care professionals:

• inappropriate or incomplete advice on the use of medication

Potential harm to a patient may occur.

2. Thus, there is a need for effective communication skills for pharmacists, but how effective is our communication?

• Many are able to talk at length, but do our listeners benefit from our words?

• Others may find talking to strangers difficult.

3. Good communication demands:

• Effort

• Thought

• Time

• Willingness to learn how to make the process effective.

Good communication is difficult to achieve and awareness of this fact is an important first step to improving it.

Elements of successful communication

This article will consider some the elements of successful communication.

1. we shall consider the ways in which we assume things about other people and how this can influence our attitudes.

2. considering the ways in which:

• non-verbal communication occurs
• behaviour patterns in communication
• empathy

And this leads to a consideration of questioning and listening skills and barriers to effective communication.

3. The importance of confidentiality and needs of special groups are considered. There are some difficulties situations to consider and practice with.

• To a large extent good communication is based on commonsense. However: no two people are the same and, our personalities influence our communication abilities.
• This article will help if you can:

1. identify your strengths and build on them
2. whilst working to correct your weaknesses Achieving this will increase your personal and professional fulfillment.

Assumptions and expectations

It is said that: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

• When we meet somebody for the first time:

1. we make assumptions about that person and,
2. we often put people into categories,

And the assumptions lead to expectations of their:

  3. behaviour,
   4. jobs and,
   5. character.

• this initial judgment of a person is often based purely on: what we see and hear and, includes appearance, dress, age, gender, race and physical disabilities.

• It is important that we are aware of these assumptions in order to avoid stereotyping people.

For example:

1. The impression we have of a person wearing a denim jacket may be very different from that of the same person wearing a suit.
2. Conversely, people will make assumptions about us based on initial impressions; e.g., a pharmacist wearing a white coat in a clean, clinical environment may inspire more confidence than a pharmacist wearing a scruffy jumper and working in a cluttered, untidy environment.

• It is well documented that age and gender affect our communication because of assumptions and expectations.
• We should not assume that people in wheelchairs cannot communicate effectively.

Likewise, we must assume that we direct our communication at an appropriate physical level and to the appropriate person (that is the patient in the wheelchair, not the person pushing it).

Demeanour

The way in which people present themselves will lead to certain judgments being made.
For example:

• People who stride aggressively towards someone else may make the person being approached feel defensive because the assumption may be made that they have come to make a complaint.
• However, people who approach hesitantly may lead to the assumption that this person needs help and advice, perhaps on a potentially embarrassing matter.

Both will affect our behaviour and attitude in subsequent communication with this person.

Tone of speech - accents - common expressions

All of these have an impact on communication.
1. Our response to a person speaking with whining, complaining tone will differ from response to someone who greets us in a friendly welcoming manner.
2. Similarly, a cultured, accent may invoke a different response from that to someone with a strong local accent.
3. No one experience the same situation in the same way.
4. While people may appear to be doing similar things, they will have different feelings about them.
5. We can only guess what people are thinking or feeling from how they look and from their behaviour.
For example:
we may think that people are nervous if they move restlessly or twitch, but that may not be the case.

It is also useful for us to consider how aware we are of our behaviour and appearance and what message this may give to other people.

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