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Next the instructor reads one patient statement at a time. After reading a state-
ment, the students write three responses—one primary empathy response, one
advanced empathy response, and one confrontation response.
Students should write the responses as if they were actually speaking to the
patient. Tell students they can assume more knowledge about the patient and her
situation than is evident in the description when formulating their advanced empa-
thy and confrontation responses.
Have volunteers share their written responses to each patient statement, one type at
a time. In other words, ask volunteers to read their primary empathy responses first.
Provide feedback to the students on those responses. Next have volunteers read
advanced empathy responses and provide feedback. Finally, have volunteers read con-
frontation responses and provide feedback. Reinforce responses that are skillful. Be
corrective about inaccuracies (e.g., a response the student thinks is advanced empathy
but is actually primary empathy, a response that “misses the mark” with respect to
patient experience/situation) and responses that are too lengthy, too threatening in
tone, and too awkward/mechanical. Ask the group to help a student revise a response
to make it more effective. Follow this process for each of the five patient statements.
Pt: I was so certain this baby would be just fine. We told everyone right away that
we were expecting another baby.
Co:
- Primary empathy response—
- Advanced empathy response—
- Confrontation response—
Pt: I don’t understand why God did this to me.
Co:- Primary empathy response—
- Advanced empathy response—
- Confrontation response—
Pt: This is such a hard decision to make. Do I have an abortion? And if I do, what
do I tell people?
Co:
- Primary empathy response—
- Advanced empathy response—
- Confrontation response—
Pt: What do I tell my son? He knows that “Mommy has a baby in her tummy.” I
can’t lie to him.
Co:
- Primary empathy response—
- Advanced empathy response—
- Confrontation response—
8 Responding to Patient Cues: Advanced Empathy and Confrontation Skills