Communication

Assignment 5: Communication Assignment

MFAC1526 Ageing and Endings B

Student number:

z3330597

Date of Submission: 01/11/2010

Word count:1909

Introduction

In this interview, I have asked Anne, a 66 year old woman, about her experiences of struggling with breast cancer since 2001 and surviving. Although she is currently in remission, she has had multiple operations (including a bilateral mastectomy), a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This report will discuss my most and least effective responses in order to identify the aspects that form a good interview. This will then be followed by a critical self appraisal of my interview management skills and a reflection on the personal lessons I have gained from this assignment.

R77 It… I can sense that there’s a, there seems to be umm a large change to your psyche so

Yes, yes…

R78 Um so… what … could you describe this? (gesture invitingly with an open hand)

Well… uh at first… this is at first not, not now of course, but umm at first you think well “A woman should have 2 breasts.”

R79 Mhmm (nodding)

3 Most Effective Responses:

I believe this set of following responses was very effective in understanding the interviewee’s emotional change and conveying my active listening skills. The paraphrasing of her psychological change in R77, empathetically acknowledges her “emotional reconstruction” and would make her aware of my “interest, concern and respect” (Silverman, Kurtz & Draper, 2005).

Furthermore the non-verbal cues (such as the inviting gestures and nodding) and verbal encouragement(e.g. “mhmm” and “Oh okay”) indicates my active listening allowing my interviewee to feel understood and strengthens our rapport (Talley & O’Connor, 2006). She is thus comfortable to elaborate on personal experiences at her own pace. This willingness to reveal more concerns is especially relevant in a clinal context where a patient must trust the physician to certain degree first before...