Advanced communication skills: Dealing with complaints and being open with patients and families about adverse events

An intensive half day advanced clinical communication skills workshop for Senior Doctors, District Nurses, ANPs and Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Workshop overview

Participants will work in a small peer group to address challenging, real life complaint and adverse event scenarios drawn from their own clinical, teaching and management roles. Participants will be empowered with the communication skills and confidence to respond more effectively to complaints and adverse events

Topics often include:

• Addressing and handling complaints
• Resolving conflict and preventing complaints from escalating
• Handling strong emotions – anger, emotional distress, denial and collusion
• Talking to patients and families involved in adverse events
• Addressing complaints from colleagues or other members of the clinical team
• Diffusing emotionally charges situations
• Being Open following an adverse event

Learning Outcomes

This clinical communication workshop offers participants the opportunity to:

• Review their current practice in relation to communication in clinical practice and with colleagues and other staff.
• Identify personal learning objectives and develop strategies for addressing these within a peer learning group.
• Critique and apply relevant literature/ theory on effective communication.
• Consider and take account of patient/carer/colleague perspectives.
• Identify and practise ways of increasing communication effectiveness.
• Exchange ideas and experiences with colleagues from other specialties.