AIM: To increase awareness of active listening strategies.
INTRODUCTION: Active listening is an important part of effective interactions; active listening involves more than just hearing what has been said. Active listening is a skill which shows that you have both heard and are interested in what the patient is saying.
INSTRUCTIONS: Read the following dialogues and decide which of the active listening strategies the doctor is demonstrating.
Question 1:
Patient: I’ve just had a lack of energy, motivation lately. I’m currently working full time and I’m studying also for the CPA, and I just came to see if I can get some vitamins or something like that just to get my energy levels up.
Doctor: OK, yeah, right.
Question 2:
Patient: I’ve just had a lack of energy, motivation lately. I’m currently working full time and I’m studying also for the CPA, and I just came to see if I can get some vitamins or something like that just to get my energy levels up.
Doctor: And how long have you been feeling like this?
Question 3:
Patient: I’ve just had a lack of energy, motivation lately. I’m currently working full time and I’m studying also for the CPA, and I just came to see if I can get some vitamins or something like that just to get my energy levels up.
Doctor: It sounds as if you’re very busy.
Question 4:
Patient: I thought maybe you can give me something now and you know I get my energies up and, you know, she’ll be happy when she comes back.
Doctor: So it all started even before she went away?
Question 5:
Patient: I thought maybe you can give me something now and you know I get my energies up and, you know, she’ll be happy when she comes back.
Doctor: Mm, I see
Question 6:
Patient: I thought maybe you can give me something now and you know I get my energies up and, you know, she’ll be happy when she comes back.
Doctor: OK, I understand that Chris. We’ll see what we can do.
Keep in mind that active listening strategies include not only verbal responses but non-verbal responses, both yours and the patient's. For example, eye contact, where appropriate, or nodding can also effectively indicate active listening without interrupting the patient’s story. It can also help you to be attentive to ‘clues’ the patient might give you about what is really concerning him/her.
