Challenging Communication in Challenging Times – Part 2 – Tips & Resources
Following our recent webinar for medical receptionists & practice managers: “Challenging Communication in Challenging Times” we’ve extracted 3 top tips for receptionists and another 3 for practice managers.
We also edited a clip of our trainer Monique explaining what is going on in our poor traumatised brains at the moment and why patients’ behaviour is “…like nothing we’ve ever seen in general practice before”.
Most importantly we have more self-care links and resources for you including a new downloadable Everyday Self Care Action Planning Document. ✨
3 Tips for Medical Receptionists
- Expect and prepare for challenging behaviour.
- When you are listening to a patient who is angry, focus on your self-calming techniques (we swear by belly breathing) while listening to their unique story (hear their emotion) and then choose your words carefully (de-escalate).
- Incorporate one additional self-care strategy to your daily routine. Even if it’s only 30 seconds.✨
3 Tips for Practice Managers
- Watch the “Challenging Communication” webinar with your team. Watch Monique’s video explaining how stress affects us all. Discuss triggers and strategies with your team and discuss what emotional preparation and emotional debrief might look like in your practice.
- Add one communication improvement to your repertoire. Ask the team to come up with some sentence starter sample ideas and phrases that suit your practice culture and communication style.
- Incorporate one additional positive self-care strategy into your whole of practice routine. ✨
Click here to download the brand new Everyday Self Care Planning Document
Photo credit: Fleur Niven
What is happening to people’s brains?!?
Build your understanding about how the brain works and why our patients might be exhibiting particularly challenging behaviour.
Watch this short excerpt from a previous webinar presented by Monique Dickerson & Katrina Otto (after the bushfires – you know the fires that were 5 minutes before Covid!)
Check in with yourself. How are you feeling? – Balanced? Overwhelmed? Traumatised?
More Self Care Resources
In our webinar, experienced practice manager and practice support person for CESPHN, Fleur Niven, generously shared her personal story of burnout.
She also shared tools and resources to help. Here are some more recommended resources:
- HEAD TO HEALTH recommended resources for mental health https://www.headtohealth.gov.au/
- HEADSPACE easy guided meditation app https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app
- TEN The Essential network for health professionals including receptionists https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/about-ten/
- SMILING MIND tools to support our minds https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
- NEW ACCESS COACHING free, no referral required https://www.cesphn.org.au/newaccess-coaching
- LIFE IN MIND specific support due to COVID overload https://lifeinmind.org.au/communities/support-for-those-impacted-by-adverse-events/mental-health-support-for-covid-19
- “Life AFTER lockdown” two-part masterclass for receptionists covering support, teamwork, triage, communication and working during COVID https://courses.trainitmedical.com.au/register/ (for CESPHN practices. Contact [email protected] for the Group Enrolment Code)
- WALKING PLAN APP heart Foundation free walking plan https://walkingplans.heartfoundation.org.au/
More Resources for dealing with difficult/angry patients
- 3 Phrases That Will Instantly Calm Angry or Emotional People | TheMuse
- Dealing with angry and aggressive patients | TheBMJ
- Dealing with Angry Patients and Relatives | GeekyMedics
- 7 Tips for Handling an Angry Patient | HCP Live
- 5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Patients | MedTrain
- How to deal with difficult patients and families | Avant
- Managing Difficult Patients | Avant Fact Sheet
PHN & Other Support Providers:
- Share our webinar and blogs with all your practices. Encourage people to register and log on individually to receive a certificate in their name. More resources are added regularly into the ‘Materials’ section of our courses.
- Contact us to present a webinar/coaching/customised education for your practices/team.
- Gift your practices some of our online courses. All our online courses come with instant messaging capability so people can reach out directly to Sue or Katrina for additional support.
“It is really great to be able to provide something useful and meaningful to practices at a time when they need it most.”
Brisbane North Primary Health Network
Stay Connected:
We don’t blog often but we do share on social media daily so make sure you follow us for all those little gems from our incredible team. Connect with us: Facebook | Linked In | Instagram | Twittter
Thank you for sharing your stories with us. Keep telling us what you need and how we can best support you.
As we enter week 789 of lockdown 🙃 remember:
We will get through this. 💪
Care for self then care for others 💕
Look for #sparklemoments. Celebrate any small win✨
Do whatever you need to do to stay positive – remember you are making history here! 🦸♀️🦸♂️🙏 🤩
With love, gratitude and respect from Katrina and team Train IT Medical 💓