BHPS031c Psychology - practice

Faculty of Medicine
autumn 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 1 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Zdeňka Barešová (seminar tutor)
PhDr. Pavel Humpolíček, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Bc. Iva Korábová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
doc. PhDr. Martin Loučka, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Tatiana Malatincová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
doc. PhDr. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Bc. Kateřina Smolková (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Pavel Strašák (seminar tutor)
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
MUDr. Rastislav Šumec, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Blanka Suchá (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Blanka Suchá
Supplier department: Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Prerequisites
BHFY011p Physiology - lecture && BHPA021s Pathological Anatomy - sem.
Lectures are only in the Czech language.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The practical class builds on the theoretical part of the Psychology course and focuses on the practical application of psychological and communication knowledge in the context of dental hygiene. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to communicate with patients sensitively, clearly and professionally in both routine and emotionally demanding situations. The output is a semester project, which forms the basis of the final colloquium.
Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the practical class, students will be able to:

  • apply the basic principles of clinical communication in model situations from the field of dental hygiene;
  • conduct a structured and comprehensible conversation with a patient, including establishing contact, identifying needs, explaining a procedure and checking understanding;
  • adapt their communication approach to the patient’s age, life situation and psychological state;
  • recognise signs of stress, anxiety, fear, shame, pain, vulnerability or strong emotions;
  • choose an appropriate communication approach, including validation, de-escalation, stabilisation and support for cooperation;
  • formulate sensitive, respectful and non-judgemental statements when addressing topics related to the condition of the teeth, odour, appearance, shame or neglected care;
  • use the basic principles of motivational interviewing to support changes in hygiene habits and adherence to recommendations;
  • reflect on their own emotional reactions, professional boundaries, possibilities and the limits of the role of a dental hygienist.
Key topics
  • Practising the first contact with a patient: building trust, introducing oneself, and starting the conversation in a safe and respectful way;
  • active listening, asking questions, summarising, reflecting, and checking understanding;
  • practical training in explaining procedures and recommendations clearly;
  • working with a patient experiencing stress, fear, anxiety or uncertainty;
  • validating emotions, calming the situation, and using basic stabilisation techniques;
  • communicating with a child and a parent, working with the child’s fears, and providing age-appropriate explanations;
  • communicating with an adolescent, an older adult, a patient with a disability or a patient experiencing psychological distress;
  • sensitively opening topics related to shame, appearance, odour, the condition of the teeth or neglected care;
  • communicating with an angry, confrontational, demanding or irritated patient;
  • de-escalating tension, responding to criticism, and working with boundaries;
  • pain, expectation of pain, and psychological preparation of the patient for a procedure;
  • basic practice of motivational interviewing: working with ambivalence and resistance to change, strengthening autonomy and cooperation;
  • professional boundaries, assertiveness, teamwork and managing one’s own emotions;
  • psychohygiene, stabilisation and short calming techniques after a demanding communication situation.
    • Study resources and literature
      recommended literature
    • KOHOUTEK, Rudolf. Psychologie zdraví a nemoci (Psychology of Health and Disease). Brno, 2007. URL info
    • AYERS, Susan and Richard DE VISSER. Psychologie v medicíně. Translated by Helena Hartlová. Vydání 1. Praha: Grada, 2015, xiv, 552. ISBN 9788024752303. URL info
    • ŠPATENKOVÁ, Naděžda and Jaroslava KRÁLOVÁ. Základní otázky komunikace : komunikace (nejen) pro sestry. 1. vyd. Praha: Galén, 2009, 135 s. ISBN 9788072625994. info
    • KŘIVOHLAVÝ, Jaro. Psychologie zdraví. Vydání třetí. Praha: Portál, 2009, 279 stran. ISBN 9788073675684. URL info
    • VYMĚTAL, Jan. Lékařská psychologie. 3. aktualiz. vyd. Praha: Portál, 2003, 397 s. ISBN 80-7178-740-X. info
    • SOUKUP, Jan. Motivační rozhovory v praxi. Vydání druhé. Praha: Portál, 2020, 150 stran. ISBN 9788026217053. info
    • MILLER, William R. and Stephen ROLLNICK. Motivační rozhovory : příprava lidí ke změně závislého chování. Edited by Petra Winnette. 1. vyd. v českém jazyce. Tišnov: Sdružení SCAN, 2003, xviii, 311. ISBN 8086620093. info
    • TRESS, Wolfgang; Johannes KRUSSE and Jürgen OTT. Základní psychosomatická péče. Translated by Lubor Špís. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2008, 394 stran. ISBN 9788073673093. info
    • ROSENBERG, Marshall B. Nenásilná komunikace. Translated by Norma Garcíová. Vydání čtvrté. Praha: Portál, 2016, 221 stran. ISBN 9788026210795. info
    Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching

    The teaching is practically oriented and expects active student participation. It uses case studies, model situations, pair and group work, guided discussion, short communication exercises and shared reflection.

    Emphasis is placed on a safe and respectful learning environment that allows students to try out different communication approaches without performance-based assessment and without the expectation of handling the situation “perfectly”. Practical exercises serve to develop skills, support self-reflection and transfer knowledge into clinical practice.

    At the end of selected teaching blocks, a short relaxation, stabilisation or self-reflection technique may be included to support calming down, managing one’s own psychological strain and maintaining psychohygiene.

    Semester Project

    The practical class includes a semester project that is developed continuously throughout the course. At the beginning of the semester, students choose one professionally demanding, stressful or feared situation from their future practice in dental hygiene. This may involve, for example, communication with a patient or a situation in which the student is concerned about their own possible failure or uncertainty.

    In the first phase, students describe the situation in detail. Throughout the semester, they return to this situation and gradually develop it according to the topics of the individual practical classes. For example, they add to the project an appropriate way of establishing contact, formulations of respectful statements, work with the patient’s emotions, a de-escalation procedure, explanation of a procedure, a motivational intervention, work with boundaries and reflection on their own role.

    The outcome of the project is a specific, professionally grounded and practically applicable procedure describing how the student would act in the chosen situation.

    Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements

    The practical class is completed by a colloquium. The colloquium takes the form of an oral discussion of the semester project, which students develop continuously throughout the semester.

    As part of the colloquium, students present their chosen demanding situation, describe its initial form, identify the main communication and psychological challenges, and explain how they have incorporated knowledge from the course into the proposed solution. Emphasis is placed on the ability to apply psychological principles to a specific situation from the practice of dental hygiene, not on formal performance or acting ability in a model situation.

    Attendance at practical classes is compulsory and is a condition for completing the course. The specific extent of permitted absences and the form of any substitute fulfilment will be specified in the interactive syllabus.

    Alternate completion

    In justified cases, such as a study stay abroad, a longer-term health limitation, parenthood or another serious obstacle, it is possible, by prior agreement with the teachers, to complete part of the practical class in an alternative form.

    For the practical parts, substitute fulfilment will be arranged individually according to the nature of the missed teaching and the possibilities of the course. Substitute fulfilment may include, for example, a written reflection on a case study, an extended elaboration of part of the semester project, an analysis of a model communication situation or an individual consultation with the teacher.

    Language of instruction
    Czech
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    The course is taught annually.
    The course is taught every week.
    Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
    Teacher's information
    https://is.muni.cz/predmet/med/BHPS031c?lang=cs&obdobi=6903

    The practical class expects active student participation, involvement in discussions, model situations, work with case studies, and reflection on one’s own reactions in contact with a patient. Practical training in communication situations naturally requires a certain degree of openness and willingness to step outside one’s comfort zone. However, its aim is not performance-based assessment or “perfect” handling of the situation, but learning through one’s own experience.

    Emphasis is placed on creating a safe, respectful and non-judgemental environment. Students are not assessed on their acting performance in model situations, but on their active engagement, ability to reflect, professional reasoning, and gradual integration of psychological and communication knowledge into their own semester project.

    The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, autumn 2018, autumn 2019, autumn 2020, autumn 2021, autumn 2023, autumn 2024, autumn 2025.
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