Communication Tip: Address the emotion you see

“May I ask what’s going through your mind?”

When we notice strong emotions, uncertainty, or closing down, our natural tendency is to give more medical information. Good evidence shows effective communication and time-savings from pausing and checking in with your patient. Finding out where they are stuck allows you to address this precisely.

Watch for a change in facial expression, body language, avoiding eye contact, and the more obvious tears or anger.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15890639/


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