A Guide to Managing Atypical Communication in Healthcare: Meaningful Conversations in Challenging Consultations

by Riya Elizabeth George (Editor), Michelle O'Reilly (Editor)

Overview

This book presents a supportive and practical guide for healthcare professionals ​and trainees in a way that considers a wide spectrum of atypical communication conditions, their impact on everyday healthcare interactions, and the social and cultural contexts in which interactions with atypical communicators take place.

A growing number of patients have been reporting atypical capacity for communication, creating unique challenges for healthcare professionals and patients in forming meaningful clinical interactions. In this book, leading international scholars from a range of healthcare professions provide insight into optimal management for those with atypical communication conditions. This includes speech, language, and hearing impairments. Chapters provide optimal management strategies, case examples, clinical recommendations, and recommended resources relevant for a range of healthcare professionals. The first collection of its kind, this book supports inter-professional practices and serves as a useful guide for those with an interest in clinical communication, and communication and diversity.

This book will be a valuable resource for health and mental healthcare professionals as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students in healthcare and allied healthcare courses. It can be included as recommended reading material in clinical communication curricula.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367696122
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/24/2023
Pages:	326
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Riya Elizabeth George, BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, PGCAP, SFHEA, is an associate professor/reader in clinical communication & diversity education at Queen Mary University, London. Riya is a creative and committed medical educationalist, academic, and health psychologist working at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, and has extensive and varied experience in leading innovations in how healthcare students and professionals can be taught diversity to ensure they deliver high quality care to a range of patients and understand how their own perspectives may influence the care they provide.

Michelle O’Reilly, BSc (Hons), MSc, MA, PhD, PGCAPHE, SFHEA, is an associate professor of communication in mental health at the University of Leicester, Leicester. She is a research consultant and quality improvement advisor for Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. Michelle is also a chartered health psychologist with an interest in child and adolescent mental health research.

Table of Contents

Introduction Part I: Theoretical And Social Debates In The Field Of Atypical Communication 1. Considering The Spectrum Of Typical To Atypical Communication: Deficit Or Difference? 2. The Social And Cultural Context Of Meaningful Conversations 3. Finding Meaning Through Storytelling In Healthcare 4. Technology And Atypical Communication: A Healthcare Context Part II: Practical Guidance For Working With Children And Families 5. Children And Young People With Atypical Communication In Healthcare 6. Communicating With Children And Young People With Speech, Language, And Communication Needs 7. Conversing With Families Of Atypical Communicators 8. Communicating With People With Tracheostomies And Head And Neck Cancers Part III: Atypical Communication In Progressive Neurological Disorders 9. Atypical Communication In Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, And Motor Neuron Disease 10. Dementia And Conversation Patterns Helpful To Practitioners Part 4. Practical Guidance On Specific Conditions Resulting In Atypical Communication 11. Supporting Meaningful Conversations In Stroke-Induced Aphasia 12. Communication And People With Learning Disabilities 13. Communication With Autistic Adults 14. Improving Engagement With People Who Stammer 15. Communication, Hearing Loss, and Deafness 16. Conclusion And Reflections 17. Tribute to Professor Jame Law, OBE

Editorial Reviews

'This is a timely and important book for anyone working or living with someone with atypical communication. I am delighted that the editors have gathered together chapters from such well-respected experts in this field. The result is a really well-researched, up-to-date, practical guide. This is sure to be an essential "go to" reference.' — Nikki Kiyimba, PhD, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Senior Academic, Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, New Zealand.

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Tiffany Rose T Kong, MSN, RN, CCRN-CSC, CNL (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This book sheds light on the communication strategies required for the various conditions and disabilities encountered in healthcare.
Purpose: The purpose of the book according to the authors is to offer a supportive and pragmatic resource tailored for healthcare professionals and students, addressing the complex landscape of communication conditions. These challenges are both unique and prevalent in healthcare settings, warranting its necessity. The book meets its objectives by equipping healthcare professionals with the tools necessary to navigate communication with patients.
Audience: The intended audience is healthcare professionals and healthcare students in undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The book meets the needs of its audience as it includes clinical communication nuances and practical strategies for fostering understanding, building trust, and ensuring effective care delivery in the diverse patient populations healthcare professionals serve. The editors are both esteemed professors in communication. Furthermore, the book benefits from contributions by a diverse collective of experts with varied credentials and global healthcare system experience, ensuring a robust interdisciplinary perspective to care.
Features: The book comprehensively addresses the complexities of interactions encountered in healthcare settings, particularly focusing on situations where conventional methods may not suffice. Organized into four parts, it begins with a foundational overview before delving into specific topics such as childhood communication disorders and adult conditions like learning disabilities, dementia, and hearing loss, covering the entire age spectrum of care. Each chapter follows a standard format, offering an introduction, insight into clinical relevance, clinical practice recommendations, and finally offering valuable resources or recommended readings. The inclusion of an abbreviations list aids readers who are unfamiliar with the medical terminology used by the authors. At the start of each chapter there is a bulleted synopsis that provides quick insight into the content. The book contains a table of contents at the start and an index at the end that both enhance the accessibility to find relevant content without reading through the entire book. One standout feature of the book is its incorporation of case studies of patients that display the atypical communication style and give guidelines on how to approach them as a healthcare professional. The authors effectively outline care strategies for patients with stroke-induced aphasia. This chapter offers a balanced blend of textual explanation, graphics, and real-life scenarios. An area for improvement would be the addition of colored graphics throughout the whole book to enhance its visual appeal as all the graphics are black and white.
Assessment: With its unique focus, this book is an invaluable resource in healthcare and provides tremendous value for healthcare professionals engaged in daily patient interactions. Inclusivity and cultural competence are paramount in ensuring our patients feel acknowledged and understood. The inclusion of case scenarios prompts self-reflection regarding approaches as healthcare providers and how patients may perceive them. While many communication skill books offer broad recommendations, the case studies enhance their applicability in real-world practice. The book not only addresses communication with patients exhibiting atypical styles but also extends guidance on how to communicate with their families and caregivers. A particularly enlightening section is the coverage of patients with artificial airways, such as tracheostomies or laryngectomies, exemplifying the book's commitment to inclusivity. It is evident that the authors meticulously curated diverse content, encompassing a wide array of conditions, to foster a sense of diversity and inclusion. One area where I believe there's room for more elaboration is the clinical guidelines specifically tailored for communication with autistic individuals. Given the greater visibility and diagnosis of autism, more focused recommendations in this area would be beneficial. Even a historical overview of the autism spectrum for healthcare professionals lacking exposure or experience in this domain would be enlightening, aiding in better meeting the needs of autistic individuals within healthcare settings. Traditional school curricula often only scratch the surface of physical and learning disabilities, making cultural sensitivity training even more crucial for both students and healthcare professionals. Overall, I continue to recognize the value of this resource, as I have yet to come across another book that thoroughly covers such a range of conditions.

Doody's Review Service