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Talking with the patient

How to give test results to a patient

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

How results are shared shapes how patients feel and what they do next. Normal, abnormal and uncertain results all need clear explanation.

Step by step

  1. Prepare

    Review the result, what it means and the next steps before you meet. [1]

  2. Check what they know

    Ask what they understand about why the test was done. [1]

  3. Give the headline first

    Say the main finding in one clear sentence, then add detail. [2]

  4. Use plain words and numbers

    Explain what normal is and how the result compares. Avoid jargon. [2]

  5. Respond to emotion

    Pause and acknowledge feelings before moving on. [1]

  6. Agree next steps

    Explain any further tests or treatment and when they will hear more. [1]

  7. Use teach-back

    Ask the patient to say in their own words what the result means for them. [2]

Common errors

Practice it in Making Synapses

In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

Making Synapses cases that train this skill

16 Making Synapses cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
  2. AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)

Facts and steps follow AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs); AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.