This practical guide is designed to help pharmacists improve their communication skills with patients and health professionals. It contains many specific techniques, such as listening, empathetic responding and assertiveness that should help pharmacists to facilitate communication. It focuses on the interpersonal model, which gives the importance of perception barriers that hinder communication and the role of non-verbal distractions. The text also gives attention to strategies such as interviewing techniques and communicating needs of special patients. This should help the pharmacist to improve patient understanding about their medication. The text contains self-assessment exercises, which test communication skills and the pharmacist's awareness. Chapter overviews help students prepare for lectures. New to this edition are sections on: communication with patients in special cases, such as people with HIV/Aids and adolescents; mnemonics for improving communication skills; plans for patient counselling; and how to live with OBRA '90 (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act).

Product Description: Pharmacy is the nation's third largest health profession, with nearly 200,000 licensed pharmacists in the United States and 125,000 practicing in community pharmacies. It is in community settings where pharmaceutical care will be judged, accepted, and ultimately paid for...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)