Sentry Page Protection
Communication Station 2
The following image shows a map of Edinburgh. You are at the Travelodge Learmonth (located in the top left hand corner), and your friend is in Queen’s Hall (bottom right hand corner). Describe to your friend (who has never been to Edinburgh before) how to get to the Travelodge by foot, as clearly as you can.
Average Candidate Response
- The instructions are rushed
- Mistakes are often made – although the candidate may correct them, this makes the answer confusing
- The steps are illogical, often taking unnecessary roads or a much longer route than necessary.
- Steps are often long winded, with little description given
Excellent candidate approach
- Introduction
- State the end objective(s)
- Identify any relevant materials/terms
- Empower the examiner/patient to ask questions (eg. Do you have any questions at the moment? If you have any questions at any time, feel free to interrupt me)
- Provide clear, specific instructions
- The candidate takes a few seconds to consider a route that is most sensible, they may even mark with a pencil on the map
- Steps are short and easy to follow
- Instructions aren’t just ‘turn left or right’, but refer to street names (this is important as depending on which way the friend is facing, the meaning of left and right will differ – north and south should be used instead)
- Instructions are given slowly, so that mistakes are avoided
- Relating this task to Medicine; effective communication is essential. It is vital that doctors are able to describe disease prognoses and treatment options to patients clearly, in language they can understand. If patients are unable to understand information, their consent may not be valid.