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in front of you will be like. What are her/his credentials? How can you be sure
that s/he will be helpful?- You are here to see the genetic counselor because of an abnormal ultrasound
finding. Your doctor’s nurse told you the ultrasound test was “positive for Down
syndrome.” You are very scared that something could be wrong with your baby.
You have been told by members of your cultural group that genetic counselors
can give your baby problems. Furthermore, you are afraid that if you go through
with the genetic counseling, it will mean you have lost faith in God’s ability to
handle things. Still, you desperately want to know if your baby is OK.
Estimated time: 60 min.
Process
The whole group discusses: What did you learn from these role-plays? How did the
counselors have to modify their approaches with the different patient roles? What
interpersonal skills were required?
Estimated time: 15 min.
Instructor Note
- Observers can use Appendix 1 , Observer Checklist for Beginning the Genetic
Counseling Session.
Activity 4: Ending the Session (Think-Pair-Share Dyads or Small Groups)
Students discuss patient and counselor resistance to ending. What might be some
reasons that patients would not want to end the genetic counseling session and/or
relationship? What are some reasons you might not want to end the session and/or
relationship? Do you possess any characteristics that would make it difficult for you
to observe time limits? To end the session and/or relationship?
Process
The whole group discusses their responses to these questions.
Estimated time: 30 min.
Activity 5: Ending the Session (Triad Role-Plays)
Students practice ending a genetic counseling session using a combination of the
genetic counselor and patient roles described below. The counselor and patient
should not reveal to each other or to the observers which role they chose to portray
until the end of the role-play. They should spend 10 min doing the role-plays and
about 10 min after each role-play to provide feedback. Have the counselor and
patient identify the roles they chose to portray during discussion of the
interaction.
6 Structuring Genetic Counseling Sessions: Initiating, Contracting, Ending, and Referral