I like to teach my students to focus on the things they SHOULD do, not the things they SHOULDN’T, but sometimes you need to know which mistakes to avoid in order to prevent failure. Below are FIVE mistakes that I see students make that could end up causing a failure on the CS exam.
1. Not smiling enough (smiling makes your patient happy, do it often):
Smiling is the easiest way to change your mood and your SP’s mood. The opposite effect is also true of a frown or scowl. If you want to create a great atmosphere in the room, walk in with a big smile on your face.
2. Not making enough eye contact (eye contact builds a connection and trust, do it often):
Eye contact is an important aspect of solid communication skills. If you fail to make adequate eye contact, you might come across as untrustworthy; a characteristic that you absolutely do not want the SP to associate you with.
3. Not being well-groomed:
There’s no big secret here… Clean yourself up, iron your clothes, get a haircut, groom well. Even though you’d like to think that people and SP’s won’t judge you by how you look, unfortunately that’s human nature. So take that knowledge and use it to your advantage.
4. Not addressing the patient by name (you should address the patient by their last name unless they request otherwise):
Be respectful of the patient and address them as Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so… People like to hear their name and they also want to be respected, so it’s a great idea to get use their name first thing when you walk into the room.
5. Not washing your hands before the PE:
This is what you’d call a ‘cardinal sin’ on the CS exam. It absolutely, positively cannot happen. If you fail to sanitize your hands, be it with soap & water, sanitizer, or by wearing gloves, consider it a mistake big enough to warrant a failure on that particular encounter.
BONUS MISTAKE….
Bonus: Not letting the patient re-ask questions before leaving the room:
I see it all the time… Students finish the closure and ask the SP if they have any questions… And they do. So you answer their questions… Once you’re done, you get up, say goodbye, and leave. This is a mistake… You should ask if they ‘have any more questions’, and only when they say ‘NO’ should you exit the room.
There you have it, 5 mistakes (plus a bonus) you should avoid on the CS exam in order to avoid failure… This is not a comprehensive list, but it is a good start.
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