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  4. 2 . Communicate effectively with your patients

Standards for optical students

2 . Communicate effectively with your patients

  1. Give patients information in a way they can understand. Work with your tutor to achieve this.
  2. Ensure your patients know in advance what to expect from the consultation, giving them the opportunity to ask questions or change their mind before proceeding.
  3. Be alert to unspoken signals which could indicate a patient’s lack of understanding, discomfort or lack of consent.
  4. Develop and use appropriate communication skills to communicate effectively with patients and their carers, colleagues and others. Consult your tutor or supervisor when unsure of how to proceed.
  5. Ensure that patients or their carers have all the information they need to safely use, administer or look after optical devices, drugs or other treatment that has been prescribed or they have been directed to use in order to manage their eye conditions. This includes being actively shown how to use any of the above.
  6. Be sensitive and supportive when dealing with relatives or other people close to the patient.
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1 . Listen to patients and ensure that they are at the heart of the decisions made about their care.
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3. Obtain valid consent