Clinical Skills Confidence: Talking to Parents
My first Clinical Skills Confidence post was March 22, 2013. Since then, I’ve done several posts in this series to provide my tips for developing your clinical skills. See the original post here.
All the tips in the original post are still relevant. I’ve decided to add a couple more!
- Have a pen and paper nearby: I usually find myself needing to write down things when talking either in person or on the phone to parents. It can be information they provide or something I need to remember to do later on.
- Be yourself: Some of the best relationships I’ve had with parents are because I will share a little bit about myself during conversations. Clearly, you need to do this when it’s appropriate, but it helps to remember that you’re a person and have a life outside of work!
- Ask them questions: Ask how they’re doing. Ask if they have any questions for you. Again, it helps form a good working relationship if you aren’t always just in clinician mode.
I hope these tips are useful! 🙂