The Importance of Listening in Healthcare | Nell Tharpe | TEDxUNE

Summary

The speaker, a certified nurse midwife with 30 years of experience, emphasizes the importance of listening in healthcare. Drawing from a childhood hospitalization experience, she illustrates how being a good listener can profoundly impact patient care. She discusses the necessity of active listening for accurate diagnoses, patient safety, and satisfaction. The speaker advocates for evidence-informed care, personalized to each patient's beliefs and needs, and shares a story of how listening and acting on a patient's needs can transform lives.

Takeaways

• 👂 The importance of listening in healthcare is paramount, as it leads to better diagnosis, patient safety, effective communication, and overall satisfaction.
• 🌟 A personal childhood experience of feeling unheard in a hospital setting significantly influenced the speaker's commitment to being an attentive listener.
• 🤝 Active listening involves being fully present, making eye contact, and engaging with the patient's narrative to build trust and provide personalized care.
• 💔 Difficult conversations are a part of healthcare, and effective listening is crucial in conveying sensitive information with empathy and understanding.
• 👥 A team approach to listening is essential, where all members listen to lead and follow effectively, ensuring clear and directed communication.
• 👩‍⚕️ The American College of Nurse-Midwives emphasizes 'listen to women,' highlighting the need to hear the stories of health disparities that are often linked to social factors.
• 👁️ Listening with intention involves not just hearing but also observing and understanding the unspoken needs and concerns of the individual.
• 💡 The speaker advocates for 'evidence-informed care,' which personalizes healthcare based on individual beliefs and needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• 🌱 A story is shared about how listening and acting on a patient's specific need for dentures not only improved her health but also transformed her life, demonstrating the power of listening.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes by emphasizing the joy and value of listening with intention in healthcare, which can lead to more meaningful and effective patient care.

Q & A

What skill did the speaker develop over 30 years of practice?

The speaker developed the skill of being a good listener over 30 years of practice as a certified nurse midwife and a woman's health professional.

What childhood experience influenced the speaker's approach to listening?

The speaker's childhood experience of being hospitalized at the age of 5, where they were placed in a bed with bars and forgotten without a call bell, made them a good listener as it taught them about the importance of individual concerns.

Why are listening skills important for healthcare professionals?

Listening skills are important for healthcare professionals because they aid in accurate diagnosis, ensure patient safety, facilitate communication among colleagues, and contribute to patient satisfaction.

How does the speaker suggest healthcare providers express compassion?

The speaker suggests that healthcare providers express compassion by seeing the person as an individual, listening to what they are saying, and providing understandable explanations tailored to the patient's understanding.

What is the significance of listening in difficult healthcare conversations?

Listening is significant in difficult healthcare conversations because it allows healthcare providers to understand the person they are speaking to, which in turn enables them to convey information effectively and empathetically.

What does the American College of Nurse-Midwives emphasize in their practice?

The American College of Nurse-Midwives emphasizes listening to women, as they are often the greatest users of healthcare and the coordinators of care for others.

Why should healthcare professionals engage patients as partners in their care?

Healthcare professionals should engage patients as partners in their care to ensure that the care provided makes sense to the patient and is effective, as the patient is the expert in their own life.

What is the role of listening in transforming people's lives according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, listening plays a crucial role in transforming people's lives by helping healthcare professionals understand the patient's needs, which can lead to actions that improve the patient's health and well-being.

How does the speaker define 'evidence-informed care'?

The speaker defines 'evidence-informed care' as using evidence to inform the care provided to individuals, setting standards for care without standardizing it, and personalizing care based on the patient's beliefs and preferences.

What is the importance of listening consciously in healthcare?

Listening consciously in healthcare is important because it allows healthcare professionals to determine the patient's state of health, emotional state, and overall well-being, which contributes to providing meaningful and effective care.

How does the speaker suggest healthcare professionals approach awkward questions?

The speaker suggests that healthcare professionals should ask awkward questions respectfully, phrase them in an acceptable way, and understand the right question to ask in order to gather necessary information for patient care.