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Non Verbal Comm

This document discusses non-verbal communication in healthcare. It describes how body language, facial expressions, distance, and the environment provide non-verbal cues that convey attitudes, emotions, and messages. Maintaining appropriate eye contact, posture, gestures, and interpersonal distance is important for effective communication and building trust with patients. Non-verbal factors like colors, cleanliness, and distracting behaviors can also impact the patient experience. Sensitivity to a patient's non-verbal cues is important for enhancing relationships and showing care.

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Tata Leizel Ganzon
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372 views13 pages

Non Verbal Comm

This document discusses non-verbal communication in healthcare. It describes how body language, facial expressions, distance, and the environment provide non-verbal cues that convey attitudes, emotions, and messages. Maintaining appropriate eye contact, posture, gestures, and interpersonal distance is important for effective communication and building trust with patients. Non-verbal factors like colors, cleanliness, and distracting behaviors can also impact the patient experience. Sensitivity to a patient's non-verbal cues is important for enhancing relationships and showing care.

Uploaded by

Tata Leizel Ganzon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Non Verbal Communication

Ways in communication
A. Words - to express ideas
B. Verbal and non verbal expressions - to convey
attitudes and emotions

You are constantly providing “messages” to those


around you by your dress, facial expression, body
movements and other aspects of your appearance
and behavior.
Nonverbal communication : unique for 3 reasons
1. Express innermost thoughts and feelings “mirror effect”
2. Difficult to fake
3. Gives consistency to verbal communications

• Nonverbal cues can have multiple interpretations. Ex.


hand gestures or nodding of head
When analyzing non verbal communications
1. Avoid focusing on one cue
2. Use verbal communications in responding for
these cues
Elements of Nonverbal communication:
❖Kinesics
❖Proxemics
❖Environment where communication takes place
❖Distracting factors
Kinesics - body movements
(arms,legs,head,face,handshaking, etc)
• May have dramatic impact on the
message you send
• In some culture, they nod rather than
handshake
A. Open stance- standing in frontal
appearance- communicate sincerity,
respect, empathy
B. Closed posture- crossed arms, head
facing downward, no eye contact-
patient will response in similar way

Body movements may have the tendency


to close off communication, be aware.
Key components of kinesics
1. Varied eye contact (consistent but not a stare)
2. Relaxed posture
3. Appropriate comfortable gestures
4. Frontal appearance (shoulders square to other person)
5. Slight lean toward the other person
6. Erect body position
PROXEMICS is a powerful nonverbal tool.
• The structure and use of space.
• The quality of interactions can depend upon
distances between the communicators.

Distance of most protected space is 18 inches


from the body – “intimate zone”

Ex. of crowded places when intimate zone


needs to be maintained
a. Elevators
b. Cashier’s counter, etc
c. Line in the bus station, etc.
Comfortable distance for casual personal
conversations is 18-48 inches.

Interpersonal distance for public conversation is


4-6 feet.

✓Farther distance would not be appropriate for


patient counseling, thus consider the distance
factor in consultation with the patient.

✓Patients usually indicate nonverbal cues when


they feel uncomfortable with the distance by
either stepping back or leaning forward.
Types of issues when the patient needs distance factor
• Sensitive issues – explaining use of suppositories
• STD issues
• Contagious disease conditions
• Etc.
Environmental Nonverbal
Factors

1. Colors used in pharmacy


2. Prescription counters
3. Private consulting area
4. General appearance –cleanliness/tidy
5. Physical characteristics of employees-
sense of professionalism
Distracting nonverbal communication
• Lack of eye contact with the patients, non confidence, thus
inappropriate feedbacking
o Prescriptions
o Prescriptions containers
o Computers, etc

• Facial expression
o Rolling of eyes
o Non consistent facial expression with verbal expressions

• Body positions- open or close stance, erect position etc


• Tone of voice- monotone, sarcasm,
Importance of Nonverbal communication in
health care encounters

• Vulnerability
• Dependence
▫ Are seen in patients who experience illness and
these emotions are often conveyed in nonverbal
channels.
▫ Openness of emotions in expressing we care as
health care professionals will indicate interest and
show patient’s satisfaction.
▫ Sensitivity by the providers to non verbal cues will
enhance patient-provider relationships.
Case Study
• During his first internship experience in a community pharmacy,
a pharmacy student (John) was assigned the task of receiving new
prescriptions from patients. John wanted to help the patients and
was looking forward to the opportunity of talking with them about
their problems. One day, Mr. Stevens approached the prescription
counter to have his prescription counter for levodopa refilled.
John, who did not realize Mr. Stevens had Parkinson’s disease,
noticed that his hands were shaking and commented, “ I see you
are a bit nervous today, Mr. Stevens. What’s the matter?

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