Interviewing Skills for Respiratory Therapists: A Teaching Module

We describe a methodology for teaching respiratory therapists the theory and practice of interviewing in patient care. The focus is on teaching specific interviewing techniques to enable the therapist to consider psychosocial factors that influence patient reaction to disease and treatment. A competency-based teaching module has been developed in which performance objectives have been created in initial interview entry and termination, affective tone, data gathering, interview technique, interview process, problem situations, case formulation and problem definition, follow-up interviews, and training the patient in self-management skills. Graded learning activities such as lectures, psychodrama, patient simulations, and use of videotape allow the student to progress toward clinical competence. Teachers in all health professions have an obligation to include in the curriculum a consideration of psychosocial factors that may influence health care.