Person-Centred Care and Communication
Framing the domain
Person-centred care means the person is a partner in care, not a recipient of tasks. Questions probe whether you can elicit the person's priorities, adapt communication to cognitive, sensory, linguistic and cultural needs, and share power in decisions. Know the concepts of health literacy, teach-back, shared decision-making, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed communication, interpreter use, and supported decision-making for people with cognitive impairment.
Concepts to know
Open versus closed questions and when each is appropriate; active listening and summarising; chunking and checking understanding; the role of family and carers as partners with the person's permission; cultural safety and the ongoing impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health; avoiding jargon; documenting the person's stated goals.
Common traps
- Using a family member as an interpreter for clinical consent discussions.
- Assuming a person with dementia cannot make any decisions rather than assessing decision-specific capacity.
- Asking leading questions during assessment and then treating the answer as fact.
- Equating a friendly manner with person-centred care while ignoring the person's stated priorities.
- Failing to check understanding; asking "do you understand?" invites a yes.
Rule of thumb and worked example
Rule of thumb: ask what matters most to the person before telling them what you think matters, and verify understanding with teach-back rather than a yes/no question.
Worked example: A man with newly diagnosed diabetes says he "can't be bothered" with diet changes. Rather than lecturing, use motivational interviewing: ask what a typical day looks like, what he has already tried, and what one change he would consider. Reflect his ambivalence, affirm autonomy, and agree on one small goal he names. Document his stated goal and the agreed plan so the team reinforces it consistently.