What type of questions allow for unguided spontaneous answers from patients?

Open ended questions are designed to encourage patients to provide more comprehensive and spontaneous responses, allowing them to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings without restriction. This type of question typically starts with prompts such as "What," "How," or "Can you describe?" which opens the floor for elaboration rather than limiting the response to a simple "yes" or "no."

For instance, asking a patient "What brings you here today?" invites them to share their situation in detail, giving the healthcare provider richer information for assessment and intervention. This approach fosters communication, allowing for a deeper understanding of the patient's condition and concerns, which is vital in primary care settings.

In contrast, leading questions often guide the patient toward a specific response, closed questions generally restrict responses to simple confirmations, and multiple choice questions offer predefined options, thereby limiting the potential for spontaneous answers.