IHS - How to handle patients as an MLT Professional?
1: Listen
Listening is the first step in dealing with patients. It's also one of the most important skills of a BSc MLT professional because it allows you to understand their needs and emotions.
Make sure that your patient feels heard by you, understood by them, and cared for by you. When listening effectively, you'll hear what they say—but more importantly, you'll hear how they feel about what's going on around them.
2: Empathize
Empathy is the ability to understand and experience the emotions of another. It's a key component of effective communication, which is why it's so important for such professionals to be empathetic.
The more we can help them feel understood by us as BSc MLT professionals, the more likely they are to stick with treatment plans.
3: Ask questions
As a BSc MLT professional, you’re not just seeing patients. You’re also helping them understand their condition and needs by asking questions. Questions help us understand the patient's concerns and expectations so that we can best serve them in their journey toward health.
4: Encourage patients to ask questions too.
As a BSc MLT professional, you know that patients are often asking questions, in the same manner, they would ask a friend. They're not just trying to get information; they're also looking for reassurance and validation of their fears or concerns.
While it's important to listen carefully and respond appropriately. Encouraging patients to ask questions can be an even better way for them to feel comfortable. The more you can provide answers directly from your experience, the better equipped your patient will be at making informed decisions about their treatment plan moving forward. Therefore, having good listening skills will always be advantageous to you as a BSc MLT professional.
5: Focus on the “what”, not the “why”.
Focus on the “what”, not the “why”. When a patient asks you why they are having symptoms, try to focus on their needs and not their reasons for feeling that way. The goal is to treat them holistically, so you must understand how your treatment plan will help them feel better and live their lives more efficiently.
It is usually encouraged to use active listening skills to address any questions, students may have about your diagnosis in courses like BSc MLT.
6: Check the medical history of the patient
When you are performing a physical examination, In medical lab technology it is important to be thorough and ask about previous illnesses. You should also ask about allergies, medications, and family history of illness. Lastly, you should inquire about lifestyle habits such as a diet that may contribute to or interfere with your patient's health status or treatment plan. Thus, before beginning treatment, BSc MLT students make sure to get the necessary information regarding a patient's medical history.
7: Avoid contamination and spillage
Avoid contamination and spillage. It is one of the most basic lab rules in courses like BSc MLT or any other medical course that when you're working on a patient, you should avoid touching their skin with your hands or face. If you do accidentally touch them, wipe off the area immediately with an alcohol-based hand sanitiser or some other form of disinfectant.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after each procedure and after touching any surfaces that might be contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids (like instruments).
It is imperative to record your findings in your patient's medical history. The information you collect can alert you if there are any potential risks for the patients who come into contact with them in addition, avoid touching any part of the patient's skin with your clothes or tools. If you do accidentally touch them, wipe off the area immediately with an alcohol-based hand sanitiser or some other form of disinfectant. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after each procedure and after touching any surfaces that might be contaminated by blood or other bodily fluids (like instruments). This is essential knowledge that both BSc MLT professionals should be cautious about.
8: Add value to the lives of people by using the above skills
- Listen to the patient.
- Empathize with the patient.
- Ask questions to understand what is happening in their life, and why they have come to see you. This can be done by asking open-ended questions that allow them to explain themselves more clearly. e.g., “How has this impacted your everyday life?” Thus, it is often advised for BSc MLT students to have strong communication skills.
- Encourage patients who have been diagnosed with some form of illness by offering support through providing reassurance about recovery time. So as not to worry too much about whether others around them suffer from similar symptoms at home. Remember everyone's different so everyone reacts differently!
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to handle your patients. There are so many ways of practising medicine that can be applied in different situations, but everyone should remember that their main objective is to make sure the patient receives the best possible care when it is needed most. If you have any other tips for dealing with difficult patients, please do share them in the comments below!
An excellent work opportunity in the medical industry could become yours if you pursue a BSc MLT. ITM is one of many colleges in that offers programmes like the BSc MLT, as well as many other programmes in the medical industry.
BSc MLT course details are available on our official website. At ITM, we also provide career counselling, where you can get more information about the BSc MLT course details as well as other programmes.