How will you use Socratic questions?

The following activity will help you to think about how you might use open questions in the morning and afternoon individual dose adjustment sessions as part of a DAFNE course.

Activity 9: Questions

Timing: 15 minutes

To complete this activity you will need to refer to the stepwise approach in your DAFNE course book.

Scenario

This DAFNE diary belongs to a DAFNE course participant. You are discussing it as part of the morning individual dose adjustment session on day 3. Assume that all other causes for out-of-target Glucose have been excluded.

Your aim is to guide the individual to a conclusion and an action plan. The plan may be that the lunchtime ratio needs to be increased from 1 : 1 to 1 ½ : 1, or that the morning BI needs increasing. There is often more than one option to consider.

Table 1 example diary
DateTime07:0012:0018:0023:00          Comments
 CP576
 Glucose7.37.39.77.3
 QA10712+1
 BI8  10
DateTime07:0012:0018:0023:00          Comments
 CP467   
 Glucose5.76.710.17.7   
 QA8614+1    
 BI8  10   
DateTime07:00          Comments
 CP5   
 Glucose6.2   
 QA10    
 BI8     

Using Socratic questioning in the framework of the stepwise approach, record the questions you would ask to guide the participant to a conclusion. Then compare your list with what other people suggested.

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Comment

  • Starting from lunchtime yesterday, talk us through your diary. What happened?
  • Which Glucose are in target? Which Glucose are out of target?
  • What, for you, is the main issue?
  • What pattern can you see?
  • Thinking of the stepwise approach, what could affect those Glucose checks?
  • Are you saying … or …?
  • If we have excluded other causes, what do you think is the reason?
  • What does the group think?
  • What else could be having an effect?
  • You seem to be thinking …?
  • What other information do we need?
  • What does the group think?
  • What could you do to check that?
  • What might someone who believed X think?
  • What are the consequences of …?
  • How does that fit with everyday life?

This approach highlights that it is not the role of the educator to ‘give the answer’ or ‘fix the problem’. The educator’s role is to lead people through the process of solving problems for themselves in the same way as during a Remote DAFNE course.

Teaching tip

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Transcript

SUE
As a good DAFNE presenter, I've prepared something in advance. Let's think about the questions and the Socratic methods that we can use. It's critical.
FIONA
Yes.
SUE
And here are some tips. Asking participants what is the main issue for them.
FIONA
So what's significant here? An example of an open question, I could ask, what else could be having an effect, rather than saying, I think the jog he had last night had an effect.
SUE
And now this?
FIONA
What?
SUE
A pause, giving the participants time to answer the question.
FIONA
Oh. And don't answer your own questions.
SUE
No, let them follow it up, and acknowledge their contributions.
FIONA
I like this one. Draw as many participants as possible into the conversation.
SUE
And ask for their thoughts. What does the group think?
FIONA
Periodically summarise key points. You may want to write them down like you have here.
SUE
See, I told you I prepared earlier. So remember, significant questions, use pauses.
FIONA
Don't answer your own questions.
SUE
Follow up, praise contributions, draw on the group's discussion and their experience.
FIONA
And summarise. Well done.
SUE
Thank you.
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Socratic questioning

Goal setting, action planning and increasing motivation