#33 Conversation Analysis with Professor Ruth Parry and how we can use in Advance Care Planning.

In this episode it is my pleasure to talk with Professor Ruth Parry about Conversation Analysis. I learn the science behind skilled conversations and we discuss how this can be applied to Advance Care Planning.

Key messages from guest

• Conversation Analysis is described as the anatomy and physiology of communication.

• Expert communicators tend to ask a person first about what they know, understand and feel about a situation before sharing information, Ruth describes this as a risk assessment. 

• Expert communicators also use forecasting, gradually enabling a realisation of information rather than suddenly giving news. 

• When we describe a situation it carries meaning and assumptions. Changing how we talk about things can change assumptions e.g Difficult Conversations and Important Conversations. 

• Ruth shares how conversation analysis can be used in Advance Care Planning, and the benefit of the In a Nutshell series which translates conversation analysis into training resources for healthcare professionals. 

• Expert communicators often use a summary or a chunk and check to clarify a conversation; summaries can also help to draw out implications of what has been said. 

• Hypothetical scenarios can be valuable in drawing out a patient’s future wishes.

Resources

• The best place to find out more about RealTalk evidence-based training resources, and how to apply if you formally or informally train people in healthcare communication: https://www.realtalktraining.co.uk/faqs

• Ruth mentioned short ‘In a nutshell’ versions of the scientific articles her group has published. Each aims to provide practice-relevant discussion and learning points drawn from the article: https://www.realtalktraining.co.uk/in-a-nutshell

• Blogs covering some of what Ruth talked about in the podcast:

  https://www.realtalktraining.co.uk/knock-on-the-door-or-barge-in-how-to-start-conversations-about-the-end-of-life-with-our-family-and-friends

  https://theconversation.com/how-health-professionals-need-to-discuss-end-of-life-situations-during-coronavirus-and-beyond-133196

Book chapter on some of the ways in which, through our talk, even when patients make errors, we can avoid treating them as failing or to blame: 

https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/chapter/Distribution_of_agency_across_body_and_self/9478868

This chapter is written for academic sociologists and anthropologists. Ruth plans to write a practitioner-facing ‘In a nutshell version’ shortly, to appear here 

Podcasts about conversation analysis

• Interviews with Michael Rosen on his BBC Radio 4 programme “Word of Mouth” about conversation analysis:

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dy62 (with Liz Stokoe)

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017480 (with Nick Enfield)

Also:

• https://behavior-podcast.com/the-scientific-analysis-of-conversation-with-saul-albert/ (with Saul Albert)

Short blogs about conversation analysis 

• https://www.realtalktraining.co.uk/demystifying-the-secrets-of-good-communication-in-healthcare

Books about conversation analysis available from booksellers  

• Nick Enfield “How we talk: the inner workings of conversation” 2017.

• Liz Stokoe “Talk: The Science of Conversations” 2018

Bio

Professor Ruth Parry recently retired as Professor of Human Communication and Interaction at Loughborough University, and she continues to collaborate on various projects.

She began her career as an NHS physiotherapist, then moved into research. She specialises in “conversation analysis”, an approach that’s emerged as the gold standard approach for studying language and social interaction – including healthcare communication. Conversation analysts make and analyse recordings of real-life human interactions ‘in the wild’​

Ruth and her team use this approach to study palliative and end of life care interactions involving experienced healthcare practitioners and their patients and patients’ family and friends. They focus on the dilemmas and skills involved in engaging people in conversations about difficult, sensitive issues and decisions.

Conversation analysis puts communication under the microscope. It allows us to describe and understand in detail how communication works – especially those things that we don’t normally notice we do, but which are so vital for our communication to work well. This makes conversation analysis a useful tool to enable people to reflect on and develop their own and others’ practice.

Ruth is passionate about getting conversation analysis insights and knowledge out beyond academia and into the real world. She has led an initiative called “RealTalk” in which scientists, clinicians and educators join forces to produce evidence-based and engaging learning materials and training events for practitioners, educators, and organisations.  

Connect with Ruth on Twitter @CACEnotes

RealTalk training on Twitter: @RealTalk_EOL

Find out more about my Bespoke Consultancy

• Service analysis for teams seeking to improve EoLC or prepare for CQC

• End of Life Care Education

• Lasting Power of Attorney Consultancy

• Talks and presentations

If you’d like to find out more about my work contact me.

What one thing will you do?

It would be great to share what resonated with you from this episode, what is the one thing you will do differently? Head to Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn to continue these important conversations.

Thanks to all my guests for working with me to share their knowledge, experience and stories about Advance Care Planning. I hope you enjoyed listening and have insights to take away; I love hearing your reflections on the series and look forward to reviews on Spotify where you can also subscribe to the series.

Clare

Important Conversations about Important Conversations.