How to Conduct the
Patient Inter view
PATIENT COMMUNICATION
"What seems to be the problem?"
I can't tell you how many patient interviews I started
that way—hundreds, at least—probably because that's
how doctors and nurses spoke to me when I was growing
up. Then one day I decided my opening sounded a little
patronizing, as if "the problem" only seems to be one to
the patient and, in fact, isn't much of a problem at all.
Yes, I know that's a lot of analysis for a pretty common
expression, but the way we approach patients is just
one aspect of assessment that can be enhanced easily
without rewriting protocols or going back to school.
We're going to cover lots more about evaluating patients
but first, let's consider what effective interviewing is
and is not.
Interviewing is a bit like selling. A good interviewer
(salesperson) tries to get the subject (buyer) to part with
something of value: information instead of money. Doing
that requires strategy and practice. More important,
though, a successful interviewer needs specialized com-
munication skills—not the kind that leads to long dis-
courses on cerebral topics in rooms full of people, but the
kind that allows the interviewer to effortlessly connect
Communicating successfully with patients requires
strategy, fexibility and practice
By Mike Rubin
In this three-part
series, EMS World
columnist Mike
Rubin discusses
interviewing
techniques. Part 2
focuses on patient
Q&A.;
28 OCTOBER 2015 | EMSWORLD.com
iStock/Thinkstock
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Mike Rubin is a
paramedic in
Nashville, TN,
and a member
of the EMS
World editorial
advisory board.
Contact him at
mgr22@prodigy.
net.