Comments on: Patient Rapport Land Mines

By: Favorite Steve Whitehead Posts | RethinkingEMS

Favorite Steve Whitehead Posts | RethinkingEMS — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:06:57 +0000

[...] Patient Rapport Land Mines [...]

By: Scotty

Scotty — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:06:42 +0000

It is so true what you guys have been reflecting on. For years I trampled through “minefields” until I gave active listening and open questioning a go. As Chris clearly pointed out…it is truely remarkable what folk will tell you if you treat them with empathy and respect. Oh..yeah..made that “is this your mother” comment way too many times. Great post Steve…keep them coming.

By: Steve Whitehead

Steve Whitehead — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:45:40 +0000

Ohh, that one’s a landmine at cocktail parties too.

By: The EMT Spot » Get Anyone to Go With You to The Hospital

The EMT Spot » Get Anyone to Go With You to The Hospital — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:20:59 +0000

[...] you’re developing your patient rapport skills I recommend reviewing Connections, Patient Rapport Land Mines and You Can’t Give Away What You Don’t Have. You may even want to stop by [...]

By: Paramedic Pete

Paramedic Pete — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:31:41 +0000

On a lighter note. One patient rapport landmine that hasn’t been mentioned. Me” Is this your mother?”, Patient “No thats my wife”. It suddenly turned very cold in the room and tumbleweed started drifting by.

By: Meet Ken! « Medic999

Meet Ken! « Medic999 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:30:25 +0000

[...] ‘boss’, ‘honey’, ‘petal’, ‘flower’ etc, etc but a recent post on ‘the emt spot’, got me thinking about why I do this, and I came to the conclusion that it is just laziness on my [...]

By: Steve Whitehead

Steve Whitehead — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:05:41 +0000

I think most of us are guilty of one or two (or all) of these from time to time. The important thing is that we recogize when it serves us and when it works against us.

Alway glad when you guys like the posts. Thaks for the comments.

By: Medicblog999

Medicblog999 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:56:25 +0000

Hi Steve,
I thought that I would confess, and let you know that I am very guilty of one of your points.
That of calling people ‘love’,'honey’,'petal’,'flower’,'mate’,'boss’ etc etc.
I never really thought of it as lazy though, its always been a think that geordies (people from the north east of England) do.
However, you have made me reflect on what I say and do, and I realise that it is just lazy, it takes a little moment of effort to commit someones name to mind, but it really does make a difference!
I have been calling patients by there name for the last 2 shifts, instead of using the usual phrases, and I have noticed such an immediate difference. All of a suddent, they are calling me ‘Mark” too. It makes the time together seem like much more of a shared experience and I believe it really does enhance the patient/medic relationship.
I meet one man on Sunday, when I started making sure I would call my patients by their name, and the job had a real impact on me. We really seemed to ‘connect’ and developed a great rapport (maybe this would have happened anyway, but I think it was greater by the use of our first names). I am writing a post about him at the moment as he had such an impact on me.
Anyway, just wanted to make you aware that what you write about sometimes affects a change in us paramedics (even over here in the UK!) Thanks for the post and thanks for making me look at myself a little bit harder.

By: Geekymedic (Chris Montera)

Geekymedic (Chris Montera) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:50:21 +0000

I love the post! It is so true that if you are just nice to people you will not only be a better medic you might just find out something about their medical condition that you may not have learned.

By: Mark Glencorse

Mark Glencorse — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:11:32 +0000

Where to start???
1) pre judging a psychiatric patient and obviously not giving them the time of day as you have already decided that they are just attention seeking.
2) answering your mobile phone in the middle of an assessment (honest, I have seen it done)
3) hands in pockets whilst assessing the patient
4) missing out the personal touches i.e telling them that you are going to look after them, that they can trust you etc etc

Just a few to start the discussion.

Great post!