Unit 6: Empathy

judging

implies that you believe the patient is right or wrong, good or bad, wise or silly in that situation.

judging (you shouldn't feel that way) advising (you just need to) reassuring (don't worry about it; I'm sure all will be well) generalizing (i've been through the same thing) or (everybody feels that way) quizzing distracting

list non-empathic responses

attitude active listening sincere empathetic responding verba/nonverbal

list the elements of the helping relationship (alliance)

advising

response merges the "expert" role with a "controlling" perspective.

• Emphasizes understanding another person's feelings and experiences from their perspective (not yours). • Does NOT judge or evaluate the person or feelings involved. • Does NOT imply agreement or disagreement. • Does NOT attempt to convince the other person to adopt your point of view.

Describe empathy

imagines another person's feelings and experiences through our own "lens" Sympathy often means "feeling sorry for" another. Sympathy is not neutral. Judgement is often part of it

Describe sympathy

Trust Reduced Anxiety (not alone in this) Better patient compliance improved health outcomes improved satisfaction of both parties

Empathetic responding in the pharmacist-patient interaction may have a variety of positive effects, including:

1. Recognize the presence of strong feeling in the clinical setting. 2. Pause to imagine how the patient might be feeling 3. State your perception of the patient's feeling 4. Legitimize that feeling 5. Respect the patient's effort to cope 6. Offer support and partnership

List the steps to "effective" empathy

empathy

The ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions

quizzing

asks related questions without addressing the patient's underlying feelings or emotion. This directs the focus more toward specific details of some portion of the message's content.

reassuring

attempts to placate the patient's emotions (worry, frustration, etc.), rather than address them. Such a response could be interpreted as condescending, and therefore may convey a judgment, even if unintentionally.

"you feel" "you think" "you believe"

avoid saying phrases with ___________ to patient

distracting

diverts the stream of conversation from the feelings being communicated and onto another topic entirely. It changes the subject, is not focused on the task at hand. May be in the form of a question. This may represent an avoidance behavior, or may simply be the result of the pharmacist's own distraction by time and by other pressing activities.

generalizing

takes the focus away from the sender (patient) and places it on another (or many others).