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8 Tips for Being a Great Neurology Consultant

Being a great neurology consultant isn’t just about providing people with knowledge. It’s also about giving them hope. When it comes to consulting, you want to be the best of the best. That means more than simply having specialized subject matter knowledge. You have to have people skills too. Here are eight tips for being a great neurology consultant from Ruham Nasany

Who Is A Neurology Consultant?

Being a Neurology Consultant is a highly sought-after job. To get the job, you must have the investment in yourself and the ability to prove yourself. It is a difficult job to get into unless you have a positive attitude, and you must be able to stand the stress. 
It is the role of the neurologist to make a diagnosis, develop a treatment plan, and make sure that patients are getting the best possible treatment for their condition. The neurologist is the link between the patient and their doctor. By providing the patient with an accurate and complete diagnosis. The neurologist can make the patient feel more at ease and more comfortable coping with their illness. Below Ruham has described eight ways for being a better Neurology Consultant.

1.  Know What Questions to Ask

The first is to prepare in advance. This ensures that you have the information you need before you see your patients and that you cover all your bases. That way, you can be sure to ask the right questions and provide the best answers.
Ask open-ended questions. When discussing the history of your condition. You’ll often find that simply asking a question is enough to provoke a much richer and more relevant conversation. Research suggests that the more specific and open-ended a question is. The more likely it is to generate useful information and engage a meaningful interaction with patients. As a neurology consultant, you ask the right questions. You learn to listen to how patients are feeling emotionally. And you ask the right questions to reveal their emotional state.

2.  Ask About Symptoms

How do you know if a patient is feeling well? Ask about their symptoms, and if they feel well. Let’s say you’re seeing a patient and she tells you she has a headache. Before you ask her what’s wrong with her head, you need to know what’s causing the headache. How does your patient feel about it? This can be the most important question to ask.
When you ask about something that’s not a physical symptom, like a headache. You are asking about a non-physical experience or feeling. This allows you to include the full experience of the patient so that you get a full picture of what is going on. You can also bring in other aspects of the patient’s life to help you explain their condition. For example, if they have a bad morning. You could ask about the night before, or the time they woke up in the morning.

3.  Be Prepared With Answers

One of the most important things to be prepared with when consulting with patients is answering their questions. Make sure you are prepared to answer every question and concern your patients have. If you are not, ask them to think about specific questions beforehand so you can be ready when they ask them. 
This will save you time and mental energy as you are not constantly prompted to ask questions, but instead to give answers to your patient’s questions. Neurologists are required to know the answer to their patient’s questions. It is important to be prepared with the knowledge and careful answers – don’t wing it.

4.  Be Approachable

Be friendly and approachable with your patients. During your first consult, make sure your patients feel that you are accessible and invested in their health and well-being. If they don’t, that can be a sign that they are not comfortable being open with you. This is especially important for patients who feel stigmatized by their condition or who have feelings of isolation.

Building rapport with your patients is critical, especially when they are new to your practice. Do your best to build a relationship with your patients by being open and available. Showing interest in them and their family. Your patients will appreciate your friendliness and willingness to listen to them. Even if you don’t provide a solution for their problem, they will know you are interested in helping them.

5.  Be Patient

The main job of a neurologist is to listen to the patient and find the cause of their neurological symptoms. The neurologist must observe the patient as they go about their daily lives, and try to figure out the cause of their symptoms. The neurologist tries to identify the cause and eliminate the cause. A neurologist needs to be patient and patient-oriented.

Patients want to know you are listening to their concerns and finding answers to their questions. They want their questions answered, and they want you to respect their time. As the neurologist, it is your responsibility to listen to their questions and provide answers.

6.  Have a Positive Attitude

Be positive, because you are the most important person in the room. It is your responsibility to make your patients feel comfortable and safe in your office. This is true regardless of whether you are a neurologist or a patient. Your attitude helps make you feel good and help patients feel comfortable around you says Ruham.
You must always be positive and enthusiastic about your patients. Always show your patients that you are interested in them and that they are important to you. Additionally, you must demonstrate your concern for their well-being.

7.  Be Friendly

When interacting with your patients, be friendly and compassionate. You should always be courteous and friendly, but never in a condescending or patronizing way. It is important to be polite and patient with your patients, even if they are challenging.
It is essential to establish and maintain a friendly, non-threatening, and non-intimidating rapport with your patients. A good greeting and handshake during the initial interactions are especially important. As this establishes a friendly and non-threatening relationship between the two of you.

8.  Be Honest

As a consultant, it is important, to be honest with patients regarding their diagnosis and prognosis. This is even more important if the patient is a child or young adolescent. This means telling the patient that they have cancer or a serious disease. Even if it is something the consultant would rather not discuss until the last minute. 
So that positive news can be delivered without hurting their feelings. Don’t beat around the bush. Your patients are not stupid. They know that you are there to help them and that there are many different options available to them. 

Conclusion

To put it simply, a good consultant knows what to ask. They listen and they keep an open mind. And while they may not always be the best at coming up with diagnoses off the top of their heads, they never dismiss a patient or rush to judgment without further investigation. They’re great listeners, but more importantly, they’re great communicators. And that’s something we can all work on as consultants and doctors. There’s no substitute for experience, and Ruham Nasany‘s tips open your eyes to what consulting involves. The tips we shared above should help you do that without burning out in the process. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Resource: https://blogtrib.com/8-tips-for-being-a-great-neurology-consultant/
8 Tips for Being a Great Neurology Consultant
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8 Tips for Being a Great Neurology Consultant

Published: