What choices did you make in the various scenarios, and why? Reflect on these choices and their effects.
To what extent did you need to adapt your typical communication style to facilitate better understanding or collaboration?
1(b)

Identify the core issue in the conflict scenario and how you plan to address it with the team and/or with the patient and family.
Then, as if you are the social worker speaking directly to the IDT members or to the patient and family: 
Demonstrate conflict management and negotiation skills to move the conflict toward resolution.
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TRANSCRIPT – Communication Scenarios
Imagine that you are a social worker in a healthcare setting working with the following
patients. Navigate each communication scenario by selecting the most appropriate
response.
Patient 1: Eleanor Reed
You enter the room to talk with a new patient, an 87-year-old female named Eleanor
Reed. With Ms. Reed in the room is a younger woman, who appears to be her
daughter.
Ms. Reed: Hello.
Learner Response Option 1: Hello, Ms. Reed. I’m a social worker on staff here. It’s
great to meet you. And this must be your daughter?
Ms. Reed: No, this is my wife.
Feedback: Try not to make assumptions. Rather, ask questions to understand
the relationship between the patient and the person accompanying them.
Learner Response Option 2: Hello, Ms. Reed. I’m a social worker on staff here. It’s
great to meet you. And who do you have with you today?
Ms. Reed: This is my wife, Shelley.
Feedback: This response includes an appropriate question to understand the
relationship between the two women, without assuming what it is.
Learner Response Option 3: Hello, Ms. Reed. I’m a social worker on staff here. Your
daughter will have to leave because I prefer to do the intake with the patient only.
Ms. Reed: Excuse me? This is my wife, and she’s staying.
Feedback: This response both assumes the relationship between the two
women and imposes a personal preference on the meeting.
Patient 2: Jessica McDonough
You are working with patient Jessica McDonough, a 20-year-old female, who came in
with significant vaginal bleeding at 10 weeks pregnant.
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The physician has just been in to deliver the news about the miscarriage and to
schedule the D & C procedure. However, you are not sure that the patient has
understood what is happening.
Ms. McDonough: So, is the baby okay?
Learner Response Option 1: You did speak with the doctor, correct?
Ms. McDonough: Yeah…?
Feedback: This response deflects the question and may make the patient feel
inadequate.
Learner Response Option 2: The doctor stated that “the product of conception” was
“spontaneously lost.”
Ms. McDonough: I don’t understand. What does that mean?
Feedback: This response uses the same language as the physician, so it is not
helpful for the patient’s understanding. Try rephrasing.
Learner Response Option 3: I’m so sorry, no. The doctor mentioned you’ve had a
miscarriage. That is why you were bleeding so heavily. Is there someone I can call to be
with you?
Ms. McDonough: Oh God, oh no.
Feedback: This response is appropriate in translating the physician’s
communication into a more easily accessible language for the patient. It is also
empathetic and connects the patient with emotional support.
Patient 3: Kwame Gibson
Kwame Gibson is a 39-year-old male patient who entered the ER with a burn that had
become infected. Because Kwame is deaf, his brother Anton interpreted via sign
language.
You provided discharge instructions, which included a 2-week regimen of oral
antibiotics.
Two weeks later, Mr. Gibson appears in the ER again. The infection has spread and
now requires IV antibiotics.
Anton is again there to provide sign language interpretation. You ask if Mr. Gibson
followed your discharge instructions.
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Anton: Kwame says he took the pills. He started to feel so much better, he stopped
after about 5 days. They were hurting his stomach, too.
Learner Response Option 1: Do you recall that my directions were to take the pills for
2 weeks?
Anton: He says he never heard about the 2 weeks. Oh man, that’s my fault. I
don’t know if I signed that specifically. I’m not a medical interpreter. I do my best.
Feedback: This response is not effective because it places blame on both
patient and interpreter.
Learner Response Option 2: Don’t you know to never stop taking antibiotics before
you’ve done the full course? It’s dangerous.
Anton: He says no, he’s never heard that. Why would he? It’s his first time taking
antibiotics as an adult.
Feedback: This response may make the patient feel inadequate for not already
knowing this key information.
Learner Response Option 3: I understand. They can cause stomach upset
sometimes. But antibiotics are meant to be taken for the prescribed duration.
Anton: What happened?
Learner Response: Stopping the antibiotics allowed the infection to spread
further. This time, would it be helpful if I also provided written instructions for
you?
Anton: Yes, that’d be good. I tried to sign the instructions correctly, but maybe I
missed something.
Feedback: This response is empathetic, explains the situation, and provides an
additional avenue for clear communication (written).
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