Gestures/Signs
I really like the idea of using gestures to communicate to the students during treatment of patients. By communicating with signs and gestures the instructor gets the point across without embarrasing the student or conveying to the patient that the student doesn't know what they are doing. It is a nice way for the student to get feedback without the patient knowing that something is wrong. I use it alot with my students and it seems to work very well.
I agree, In the field of dental asssisting you have to be skillful and know what your doctor need before he or she says anything. The best assistant observes and master this quickly.
The dots seem awesome! Can't wait to try it ou. Thanks for the new and refreshing idea.
Yes, when a quick answer is needed.
Jose, these can be great communication tools.
Michele Deck
Gestures and Signs are a great tool to use when out in the floor. It enables the student and instructor to provide gestures which can be beneficial. Short gestures puts the point across quickly so no mistakes are made.
Sel, the dots are a simple but powerful tool as well as expanding your gestures.
Michele Deck
I've used hand signals as a way to teach for some time now...I think I'll add more to my list. This and the use of the dots in combination will be a wonderful learning tool and a great way to track progress. Thanks
Melonie, I agree that the "signals" should only be interpreted by the learner and the instructor, not the patient.
Michele Deck
I like this idea of using gestures. I am thinking a little more like "baseball" however. Just as the pitcher and the catcher have their own sing language so to speak that no one else understands, I think the sign language will need to be something that only the student and instructor can interpret in order to avoid the patient getting nervous.
Nonverbal body language (especially since most of human communication is nonverbal) can be just as anxiety provoking if the patient is able to interpret it.
Robert, as long as the system of symbols is known and agreed upon before patient/family contact, it is a great strategy.
Michele Deck
I agree that there are several students that need other forms of communication so they do not feel embarrased when they are making mistakes. This is especially true, when working in front of patients. Communicating with hand gestures can help guid or stop students on procedure based sills and avoid confusing the patients.
Rose, I hope you implement this teaching and communication strategy with your learners.
Michele Deck
Sara, I agree that having this gesture makes sense.
Michele Deck
I really like the idea about gesturing to communication with students. The communication tool will alleviate bottlenecks and confusion in the clinical setting.
This is a very good idea to tell the student to suspend their treatment on a patient and to speak with you. I have encountered this many times and by saying "stop" it really scares the patients and they lose their trust and confidence in the students. Holding the elbow in a gesture to freeze is an excellent idea!
Wendy, I'm so glad to see you have incorporated the use of hand signals in class for things other than lab practice. It creates awareness as you described and teaching observational skills as well.
Michele Deck
As a Surgical Tech instructor, I do teach the students the hand signals used in surgery, but I also incorporate this into classroom/lab as well.
Instead of verbalizing some things, such as asking the class to "quiet down", I use hand signals. I think this helps them realize that in surgery, they must pay close attention not only to the verbal requests of the surgeons, but to the hand signals, and it helps with anticipation skills as well.
Teresa, it is very important to maintain professionalism, modeling helps teach this.
Michele Deck
It is important to maintain professionalism in the presence of the patient and family to maintain trust
and confidence.Review of procedures as initial step and use of signs and gestures during the procedure
will prevent embarrassment.
