Review

The Family

Question 1
List any general observations you made about Georgie the film clip.

Suggested Answer

  • Georgie appears tired
  • Tense and nervous
  • Distressed at the news she has been given
  • Georgie has not been given time to reflect on the news of her mother’s illness
  • No social supports in place

Question 2
List any observations you made about Georgie’s verbal and non-verbal communications.

Suggested Answer

  • Irritable tone of voice
  • Defensive
  • Body language self-hugging
  • Varying speech tone
  • Voice tremors
  • Speech errors
  • Tension in muscles
  • Defensive body language
  • Tears

 Question 3
List some significant factors that may have contributed to Georgie’s distress.

Suggested Answer

  • Georgie was not given the chance to contact any other family members
  • No social supports or pastoral care
  • The clinicians appeared rushed
  • The tone of voice of the clinicians
  • The way the conversations were conducted

 

Situational Factors

Question 1
List any observations you made about the environment in which the end-of-life conversation took place.

Suggested Answer

  • The conversations took place with the nurse at the bed side and in a room with the nurse and doctor
  • No other staff members were in attendance at the meeting
  • Georgie was the only family member in the meeting
  • The conversation was had over a small table

Question 2
List any situational factors that may have contributed to Georgie’s distress.

Suggested Answer

  • The small confined room
  • The length of the conversation
  • The conversation was short and Georgie was left with more questions
  • The doctor was waiting in the room rather than collecting Georgie from the bedside
  • The nurse did not contribute to the conversation
  • Georgie wasn’t given time to prepare for the conversation

 

The Staff

Question 1
List any general observations you made about Doctor Chris’ verbal and non-verbal communications.

Suggested Answer

  • Abrupt
  • Rude tone of voice
  • Impatient
  • Raised voice
  • Aggressive body language and facial expression
  • Lack of empathy
  • Not listening to Georgie and giving her time to reflect on the news
  • Negative body language
  • In a rush
  • Forceful
  • Lacking collaboration

Question 2
List any general observations you made about Nurse Laura’s verbal and non-verbal communications.

Suggested Answer

  • Ill prepared for the conversation
  • Lacking empathy
  • Rolling eyes during conversation
  • Rude tone of voice
  • Minimal verbal communication
  • In a rush
  • Lacking collaboration
  • Facial expressions indicated annoyance and frustration with Georgie and Chris

Question 3
List some of the barriers to effective communication during family meetings at end-of-life.

Suggested Answer

  • Decision making that is not collaborative between clinicians and families
  • Poor timing of conversations
  • Rushed conversations
  • The tone of the conversation
  • The expectations of the family
  • Non-trusting relationship between clinicians and family
  • Cultural differences
  • Lacking use of interpreter services in conversations with patients of non-English speaking backgrounds
  • Communication style and level of training
  • Clinician lack of training and education in communicating with families in difficult circumstances
  • Poor interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Conflict between clinicians and families

 

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