Advanced Communication Skills: Having Better Conversations in Challenging Situations

A half-day intensive clinical communication workshop for senior doctors, district nurses, ANPs and clinical nurse specialists working in NHS Lanarkshire. This advanced communication workshop is aimed at equipping staff with the confidence and skills to have better conversations in challenging circumstances.

Overview

Participants will work in a small peer group and address communication drawn from their own clinical practice, teaching and management roles. Common challenges addressed during the programme are:
• Discussing complex or distressing information
• Shared decision making & informed consent
• Taking over care from colleagues – effective handovers
• Managing complex negotiations
• Handling anger, emotional distress, collusion or denial
• Addressing and preventing complaints: talking to patients and families involved in adverse events
• Discussing future care planning, CPR and other treatment options
• Addressing poor performance by trainees, colleagues or other members of the clinical team
• How to enhance effective teamwork

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

This workshop is open to NHS Lanarkshire staff only