Hear Us Out - Addressing Communication Needs of Those with Altered Hearing Ability
by Karolyn A. Mosbacher, 2021 PharmD Candidate, Daria Polyarskaya, 2021 PharmD Candidate
"Imagine: You are a pharmacist working in a community setting. It is a Tuesday at four in the evening, and there is a line seemingly out the door. The telephones are ringing nonstop and prescriptions that need verification are piling up. Suddenly, you are standing before a patient, ready to discuss their new antibiotic, who does not say a word but motions to you that he is deaf. You try your best to communicate by pointing at the bottle and speaking with diction. The patient appears to understand and you part ways. Many pharmacists have seen days like this. Counseling patients is arguably the most important aspect of the job. It might be a little more mechanical and less personable than preferred when days get busy, but counseling patients is a critical aspect of ensuring medication safety and increasing adherence; however, there are times when pharmacists cannot implement best practices. When presented with a patient who may be deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), what are best practices? What resources are available? This article hopes to shed some light on how to communicate with and assist DHH patients in the practice of pharmacy."
Keywords: Adult, Male, Female, United States, Sign Language, Pharmacies, Schools, Pharmacy, Pharmacists, Dizziness, Health Literacy, Students, Pharmacy, Empathy, Cultural Competency, Students, Medical, Patient Safety, Frustration, Speech, Censuses, Wisconsin
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2020 September/October Table of Contents
"Imagine: You are a pharmacist working in a community setting. It is a Tuesday at four in the evening, and there is a line seemingly out the door. The telephones are ringing nonstop and prescriptions that need verification are piling up. Suddenly, you are standing before a patient, ready to discuss their new antibiotic, who does not say a word but motions to you that he is deaf. You try your best to communicate by pointing at the bottle and speaking with diction. The patient appears to understand and you part ways. Many pharmacists have seen days like this. Counseling patients is arguably the most important aspect of the job. It might be a little more mechanical and less personable than preferred when days get busy, but counseling patients is a critical aspect of ensuring medication safety and increasing adherence; however, there are times when pharmacists cannot implement best practices. When presented with a patient who may be deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), what are best practices? What resources are available? This article hopes to shed some light on how to communicate with and assist DHH patients in the practice of pharmacy."
Keywords: Adult, Male, Female, United States, Sign Language, Pharmacies, Schools, Pharmacy, Pharmacists, Dizziness, Health Literacy, Students, Pharmacy, Empathy, Cultural Competency, Students, Medical, Patient Safety, Frustration, Speech, Censuses, Wisconsin
Download PDF
2020 September/October Table of Contents