How does verbal and nonverbal communication affect your interactions with patients?
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Effective communication is one of the most important skills you can develop during the course of your medical training. Building rapport with your patients is the starting point for developing mutual respect and trust, which is vital to the therapeutic relationship. Show
Yet good communication is trickier than it sounds, especially as verbal communication is only part of the overall message you're conveying. Body language can have a strong impact on the quality of your patient interactions as well. How physician body language impacts the patient experiencePhysician body language shapes patient interactions in a variety of ways. A study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management notes that communication between doctors and patients is a complex mix of spoken words, gestures, expressions, postures and eye contact. Nonverbal cues can affect rapport, patient trust, the willingness of the patient to adhere to the plan of care and the patient's satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. The study analyzed and scored doctors' communication with white versus black patients. While the doctors' verbal scores were similar for both groups, they scored significantly lower in nonverbal communication with their black patients, as measured by factors like time spent interacting with the patient, body posture, proximity to the patient and patient touch. These results highlight the ways in which doctors unwittingly communicate with patients and the importance of non-verbal expression in the care process. Body language not only indicates how doctors feel — consciously or not — about their patients, but can also impact how patients perceive their physicians. An article in Anesthesiology found that actor anesthesiologists who presented with "confident, high-power poses" were perceived as more intelligent and better at their jobs. Patients preferred these anesthesiologists to those with low-power postures. 4 Tips for improving body languageFor some, open and communicative body language comes naturally, but these are skills that any doctor can learn. Here are four quick tips for improving your body language when interacting with your patients. 1. Take a seatOne of the most common complaints patients have about doctors is that they seem rushed. Much of the time, your day is going to be packed and fast-paced. However, the simple act of sitting down rather than standing to talk to your patient can make them feel more at ease and more willing to engage with you in a meaningful way. Given how hectic most physicians' schedules are, it's worth a deliberate reminder to use your body language to show you're slowing down for your patients and giving them your undivided attention. 2. Be conscious of your arms and shouldersBe aware of the positions of your arms and shoulders, as these body parts are particularly communicative, whether you intend them to be or not. Avoid a posture where your arms are crossed or your shoulders are raised. This can communicate to the patient that you're unsure of yourself or that you don't care about what they're saying. It can also be perceived as threatening or domineering. 3. Engage face to faceThe way you position yourself in relation to your patient can also help convey that you're listening and concerned about what the patient has to say. Position yourself so that you can speak with the patient face to face and make eye contact. After all, you don't want to seem like you're more interested in your notes than you are in your patient's well-being. If you're using a computer to take notes, make sure you still face the patient as you type and establish eye contact whenever possible. 4. Use touch carefullyAs one patient wrote in the New York Times, medical touch can be positive or negative, depending on the situation. During both physical examinations and conversational interactions, carefully calibrated physical contact can provide comfort and demonstrate compassion, especially as healthcare becomes more digital and businesslike. Carelessness, of course, can have the opposite effect. Some patients may be particularly sensitive or averse to being touched by their doctor, so it's wise to get to know patients and their communication style before reaching out. In short, while it may take a conscious effort at first, using positive body language can help strengthen your patient interactions. Once you fall into these habits, you may notice your patients are more open with you and more receptive to your advice. You can’t not communicate! In healthcare we often focus on verbal communication, that is, how we exchange information using words. Yet even when silent, we are still communicating. Think about the doctor who stands up when the patient enters the room and greets them with a warm, welcoming smile versus the clinician who stays sitting behind the desk looking at the patient’s notes. Nonverbal behaviours include well known skills like eye contact, facial expression, body language and how fast or slow we speak. Consider also less familiar nonverbal skills like our appearance, furniture placement, and the cleanliness of our environment. When we are more aware of nonverbal cues, they can help us to understand what other people are communicating and we can use these cues to ensure that our own messages are clear. Our nonverbal communicationPeople watch and interpret our facial expression, our gestures, the way we present ourselves, and everything in between. Our verbal messages become more meaningful and trustworthy if they are accompanied by matching nonverbal behaviours. Nonverbal skills help us to communicate emotions and provide emotional support. Thus, they have a very important role in helping to build rapport and trust with patients and their loved ones. The patient’s nonverbal communicationNonverbal communication is a two-way street. Patients reflect different emotions using body language. Being alert to the patient’s nonverbal cues enables you to probe a little deeper, rather than simply accepting verbal responses at face value. Use caution when interpreting nonverbal communication or relying on it as your sole source of information. It is important to triangulate information from different sources to form a full picture. A patient with their arms folded may not agree with what you have said or they may just be cold!. A word on cultureNonverbal communication can vary from country to country and also among different cultures. The main cultural differences in nonverbal communication occur within the categories of eye contact, personal space and touch. Skills cardNonverbal communication (PDF, 413 KB, 20 pages) VideosNonverbal communication (vocal expression) Nonverbal communication (facial expression) IllustrationsNonverbal Behaviour (PDF, 3.6 MB, 1 page) How does nonverbal communication affect patient care?Non-verbal communication helps to build the relationship, provides cues to underlying unspoken concerns and emotions, and helps to reinforce or contradict our verbal comments. Non-verbal communication is at its most significant in the medical interview if it contradicts the message from verbal communication.
How does verbal and nonverbal communication affect each other?When communicating, nonverbal messages can interact with verbal messages in six ways: repeating, conflicting, complementing, substituting, regulating and accenting/moderating. Verbal and nonverbal messages within the same interaction can sometimes send opposing or conflicting messages.
Does nonverbal communication affect our interactions?All of your nonverbal behaviors—the gestures you make, your posture, your tone of voice, how much eye contact you make—send strong messages. They can put people at ease, build trust, and draw others towards you, or they can offend, confuse, and undermine what you're trying to convey.
Why is verbal and nonverbal communication important in nursing?It is impossible not to communicate in an interaction, and non-verbal communication can sometimes be more powerful than words. Our body language may betray what we really think or feel, but it can also be used as a positive tool by nurses to reinforce the spoken word and help you understand how a patient really feels.
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