Addressing the Psychological Effects of Illnesses

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title:

  Exercise Science

  Course Title:

  Exercise Science

  Course Number:

  8417000

  Career Cluster:

  Health Science

  CIP Number:

  0331050405

  Course Type:

  CAR-PREP - High School Career Preparatory Program

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “A Battle of Will and Well-Being.” See CPALMS resource ID # 219822.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson connects to careers in healthcare, mental health, and elderly care, including nursing, occupational therapy, and social work. Students will develop essential durable skills such as empathy, active listening, professional communication, and critical thinking, which are crucial for building trust with patients. Through collaboration and problem-solving, they will learn how to adapt their approach to support patients experiencing emotional distress.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Identify common psychological reactions to illness.
  • Discuss the importance of professional communication when working with patients experiencing emotional distress.
  • Develop, write, and present a follow-up narrative based on a case study.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Work in collaborative teams.
  • Professionalism in healthcare.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • How can healthcare workers identify and respond to various psychological reactions of illness in patients?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, begin with a think-pair-share strategy. Students will first reflect on a question: “Imagine you or someone you know has been sick for a long time or had to miss out on activities due to an illness or injury. How might that person feel emotionally? What kinds of thoughts or behaviors might they have as they try to cope?”
     • Students can then discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing as a class, helping them connect personally to the topic.
  2. Next, introduce the case study, "A Battle of Will and Well-Being," (see CPALMS Resource ID # 219822), by explaining that patients often experience psychological reactions to illness, which can impact their care as well as their interactions with healthcare workers.
  3. Students can read the case study individually or in small groups, using the following guiding questions to analyze Meredith’s emotional responses and Arthur’s communication approach. These questions can be displayed in the classroom.
  • • What psychological reactions is Meredith exhibiting?
    • How does Arthur’s approach impact Meredith’s response?
    • What could Arthur have done differently to build trust?
    • What professional behaviors are essential when dealing with resistant patients?
  4. In small groups (3-4 students) or pairs, students brainstorm a new scenario where Arthur uses improved communication techniques. Provide students with thelesson attachment to record their thoughts (see handout, “Brainstorming”).
  • • Students must:
      • Identify Meredith’s emotions and possible defense mechanisms.
      • Adjust Arthur’s communication to be more empathetic and supportive.
      • Avoid manipulative or dismissive tactics.
      • Include at least 3 interactions between Arthur and Meredith
  5. Groups will write a 1-2 paragraph narative revision of the scene where Arthur successfully improves Meredith’s trust and cooperation.
  • • Example Scenarios can be provided (if needed for guidance):
      • Arthur actively listens and acknowledges Meredith’s fears rather than trying to persuade her too quickly.
      • He validates her emotions, saying, “I can see how frustrating this must be for you. What worries you most about staying here?”
      • Instead of misleading her, Arthur gives Meredith choices to restore her sense of control (e.g., allowing her to choose therapy times).
  6. Once each group has finished their scenario, they can briefly present or read their revised scenarios to the whole class or to individual groups.
  7. Students will participate in a final whole group discussion based after finishing their scenarios. Teacher can pose the question: “How can recognizing psychological reactions and using professional communication impact a healthcare worker’s success?”
  8. Students share their reflections as groups, whole class or in pairs, relating them to careers in healthcare.
  • • Teacher can emphasize how empathy, trust-building, and adaptability help professionals provide better care.
  9. As a final closing thought, the teacher can pose the following questions to close the lesson. Students can write a reflection based on one or two of these questions:
  • • Why is it important for healthcare workers to recognize psychological reactions to illness?
    • How does empathy and trust impact patient care?
    • What are examples of professional behaviors that can improve communication with distressed patients?
    • How might this lesson apply to many different future careers in healthcare?

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • This lesson can be completed over 2 class periods.
  • The written reflection can be used as an assessment.