{"id":4566,"date":"2020-11-04T14:41:45","date_gmt":"2020-11-04T21:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/?p=4566"},"modified":"2021-02-09T15:03:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T22:03:05","slug":"working-with-displeased-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/2020\/11\/working-with-displeased-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"Working with Displeased Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>This video explains how to work with displeased patients using a complaint resolution method known as the BLAST technique. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Video Timestamps:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>o <strong>B<\/strong>elieve <em>1:06<\/em><br \/>\no <strong>L<\/strong>isten <em>1:43<\/em><br \/>\no <strong>A<\/strong>pologize <em>2:28<\/em><br \/>\no <strong>S<\/strong>atisfy <em>2:50\u00a0<\/em><br \/>\no <strong>T<\/strong>hank <em>4:49<\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"kaltura_player\" title=\"Kaltura Player\" src=\"https:\/\/admin.video.ubc.ca\/p\/113\/sp\/11300\/embedIframeJs\/uiconf_id\/23448209\/partner_id\/113?iframeembed=true&amp;playerId=kaltura_player&amp;entry_id=0_4sm7yolf&amp;flashvars[streamerType]=auto&amp;flashvars[localizationCode]=en&amp;flashvars[leadWithHTML5]=true&amp;flashvars[sideBarContainer.plugin]=true&amp;flashvars[sideBarContainer.position]=left&amp;flashvars[sideBarContainer.clickToClose]=true&amp;flashvars[chapters.plugin]=true&amp;flashvars[chapters.layout]=vertical&amp;flashvars[chapters.thumbnailRotator]=false&amp;flashvars[streamSelector.plugin]=true&amp;flashvars[EmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget]=videoHolder&amp;flashvars[dualScreen.plugin]=true&amp;flashvars[hotspots.plugin]=1&amp;flashvars[Kaltura.addCrossoriginToIframe]=true&amp;&amp;wid=0_mdqc1bj8\" width=\"400\" height=\"285\" frameborder=\"0\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-modals allow-orientation-lock allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-presentation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 250px; width: 608px; border: 1px solid #ccc; overflow: auto;\"><strong>Transcript:<\/strong><br \/>\nHello my name is Dr. Tablet, but you can just call me Tab. Have you ever encountered a displeased patient while on practicum? It can be an uncomfortable situation especially when emotions are running high. In this video, I\u2019ll be talking about how to work with displeased patients using the BLAST technique. The \u201cBLAST\u201d technique is a complaint-resolution method that is helpful for addressing patients\u2019 concerns or complaints. Let\u2019s begin.BLAST stands for Believe, Listen, Apologize, Satisfy, and Thank. To explain how to use the BLAST method, let\u2019s work through a scenario together:Natasha was completing her practicum at a community pharmacy when Bruce stormed up to the counter and demanded to speak with her.\u201cYou didn\u2019t tell me these antidepressants could cause weight gain!\u201d he said. \u201cIf I had known, I never would have taken them. I\u2019ve gained 5 pounds in the past month and it\u2019s all your fault.\u201dNatasha is taken aback by this accusation, but she knows that responding angrily or defensively could escalate the situation and create adversarial feelings and mistrust between herself and the patient. When emotions are running high, it\u2019s helpful to have the BLAST technique in your tool box to help you work through difficult situations.The first step in the BLAST technique is B, <strong>believe the patient. <\/strong>This refers to acknowledging and validating the patient\u2019s experience and emotions even if there are parts of their story you don\u2019t agree with. Even though it isn\u2019t Natasha\u2019s fault that Bruce gained weight, arguing this point would be counterproductive and Natasha needs to respond in a way that acknowledges his experience and validates his feelings. For example, she could say something like, \u201cI\u2019m sorry this happened, and I understand you feel you were not properly informed about this medication.\u201d Accepting the patient\u2019s concern as legitimate shows empathy and tells the patient that you hear them, you understand their concern, and you want to work with them.The L in BLAST stands for <strong>Listen. <\/strong>Active listening is necessary to help you discern the patient\u2019s unmet expectations and resolve the issue. In this case, the patient is upset because he trusted the pharmacy to explain all the side effects of his medication and he feels that they failed to explain the risk of weight gain. Natasha allows the patient to fully express himself and demonstrates active listening by facing the patient with an open posture, making eye contact, and being attentive and empathetic.After Bruce is finished speaking, Natasha should restate his concerns in simple, non-medical terms. She might say something like this: \u201cIt sounds like you have some concerns about your antidepressant causing weight gain and you feel that important information may have been missed when the pharmacist counselled you on your medication last time. Is that correct?Going back to the BLAST technique, the A stands for apologize. Apologizing helps you to de-escalate the situation while opening up an avenue to provide more of an explanation without appearing defensive. Natasha might say: \u201cBruce, I\u2019m sorry that this happened to you and it sounds like we could have done better. I\u2019m open to talk about how we can address your concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Natasha\u2019s response leads us into the next step, S, which stands for <strong>Satisfy<\/strong>. While you may be able to resolve certain concerns for the patient, there may be times when you are not able to give the patient what they want. It is helpful to address these things first so that patients have a clear idea of what you can and cannot do about their situation. It helps to manage their expectations at the onset of the conversation to prevent further misunderstandings. You might consider asking the patient what they want as it gives them some control over their situation and offers you more information about what they expect from you. If the patient proposes a reasonable solution, the problem may be solved without further conflict. If the patient proposes something that cannot be done, you can explain why their proposed option is not possible and try to provide them with other options.<\/p>\n<p>When Natasha asks what would make Bruce feel better about the situation, Bruce states that he does not want other patients to experience what he went through. He suggests that Natasha explain every possible side effect, no matter how rare, to every patient that picks up a new drug. How do you think Natasha should respond to this? Is his request reasonable?<\/p>\n<p>Natasha responds by saying: \u201cYes, I appreciate your concern and want to assure you that we also want what\u2019s best for our patients. It may be overwhelming for some patients to be counselled on every potential side effect. Some side effects are rare and may not be applicable to all patients, so counselling is often focused on the most common side effects likely to be experienced. In your case, I could have provided you with additional written information with a comprehensive list of all potential side effects. If you want, I could provide that to you now and I\u2019d also be happy to discuss options for managing the weight gain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Notice how Natasha started her answer with \u201cyes\u201d. Starting your sentences with positive words like this can help to show the patient that you\u2019re on their side rather than arguing with them. Natasha explains why she can\u2019t accept Bruce\u2019s solution as it is and redirects him to other options. If possible, it is best to provide the patient with 2 or 3 of options. To ensure that you have resolved the issue to the patient\u2019s satisfaction, ask the patient if they are satisfied or if they have any other concerns to talk about.<\/p>\n<p>That brings us to the final step in the blast technique, Thanking the patient. Remember to thank the patient for taking the time to share their feedback and concerns with you. All feedback is an opportunity to reflect and identify how we can better serve the patients under our care<\/p>\n<p>As a student, you should always inform your practice educator immediately about any complaints or concerns that are shared with you. This gives them a chance to step in and help you address the patient\u2019s complaint and follow up with the patient.<\/p>\n<p>In some situations, students may experience rudeness and criticism directed at them. If you ever feel unsafe or if you are losing control of the situation, it is okay to remove yourself and ask for help from your practice educator or another member of the team.<\/p>\n<p>In summary, the BLAST technique can help you navigate through challenging patient interactions step by step. Through practice and over time, you will become more comfortable with handling these situations. The key is to stay calm and work alongside the patient to address their concerns.<\/p>\n<p>I hope you found this video helpful.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for watching. I\u2019m Dr. Tablet and I hope you have a fan<strong>TAB<\/strong>ulous practicum<\/p>\n<p><strong>Acknowledgements:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We would like to thank Alyssa Low (Undergraduate Student) for helping to create this video and Garrett Tang (Undergraduate Student) for designing original images (e.g. Dr. Tablet).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This video explains how to work with displeased patients using a complaint resolution method known as the BLAST technique. \u00a0 Video Timestamps: o Believe 1:06 o Listen 1:43 o Apologize 2:28 o Satisfy 2:50\u00a0 o Thank 4:49 Transcript: Hello my name is Dr. Tablet, but you can just call me Tab. Have you ever encountered [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4204885,4204968],"tags":[4204969,4204970,4204971,4204972],"class_list":["post-4566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-practicum-resources","category-working-with-displeased-patients","tag-blast-technique","tag-complaint-resolution","tag-conflict","tag-displeased-patient"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4566"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4645,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4566\/revisions\/4645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/oeetoolbox\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}