Running Head: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A 1

NURSE AND PATIENT

Nonverbal Communication in Healthcare Between a Nurse and Patient

Lizzie N Polikoff

Louisiana State University

Author Note:
This paper was prepared for English 2001, taught by Ms. Coco. The author wants to thank all of
the Doctors, Professors, Specialists, as well as Professor Coco for helping me to understand the
importance of nonverbal communication in the nursing field. The audience is the Louisiana State
University Nursing School.

Abstract
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

This paper explores the importance of nonverbal communication and how it is expressed

between a nurse and patient in situations where verbal communication is untrustworthy. Not

being able to communicate effectively causes distress and frustration on patients in the hospital,

as well as nurses. Nurses are encouraged to develop and improve their competence and

confidence in all aspects of communication, especially nonverbal communication, to form a

well-respected relationship with their patient. The reason nonverbal communication is so

important is because it is used in our everyday lives to help determine what someone else is

feeling or thinking. After reading this article, you will have a more understanding of how to

better communicate through facial expressions, body language, and eye contact in the medical

field.

Keywords: nonverbal communication, body language, communication, nursing

Preface:
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

For focus I give myself a 2+ because the reader understands the main topic however the message
could be stronger and I couldve put a more detailed analysis. For organization, I give myself a 2
because my arrangement of ideas could improve and my transitions need some work. I think I
integrated my quotes correctly also. For audience awareness and voice I give myself a 3 because
I believe I have a strong voice, tone, and style. I also think that I mention some helpful points to
help others better understand how important nonverbal communication is.

The comments that you gave me that were helpful were the ones that you told me to put in more
detail. I realized that my first draft wasnt in that much detail but I added some. The comments
that confused me a little were the were the ones you told me that I should change or put a
transition before. I dont really understand transitions so it was hard for me to write them. Some
of the revisions I didnt change because I thought they sounded right and I went with my gut. I
think I improved this final draft by listening to you and others who revised this paper. I added
topics to each paragraph and highlighted what I changed throughout the paper. I also fixed the
citation errors I had in the rough draft.

Nonverbal Communication in Healthcare Between a Nurse and Patient

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

Introduction

Nonverbal communication is one of the main usages of communication between a nurse and

his or her patient to form a relationship. Nurses have to constantly be aware of what their body

language, facial expression, and eye contact implies during nursing care. Verbal communication

is not always possible, therefore, nonverbal communication is essential between a nurse and his

or her patient because facial expressions (smiling), body language (touch), and eye contact to

help the patient and nurse interpret how each other feel.

Nonverbally Communicating through the Use of Facial Expressions

In the article Nurses Nonverbal Methods of Communication with Patients in the

Terminal Phase by L Kozlowska and A Doboszynska (2012), a questionnaire was sent to five

different hospice facilities in Poland to compare the use of nonverbal communication between

nurses and patients who are in the terminal phase. This study was used to analyze and observe

what nonverbal communication methods nurses incorporate with patients who are near death.

Nurses who volunteered for this experiment noticed that smiling had a positive influence on

patients by giving them a sense of relief and compassion (2012). Smiling gives off the vibe of

warmth, and a sign of good humor. We may not notice ourselves rolling our eyes or grimacing

but patients and families of patients which is a sign of bad news. The first thing anyone notices

on someone else is their facial expression because it shows emotion and what they are thinking.

Nurses who walk in the door smiling, according to Kozlowska and Doboszynska gives them

[patient] relief and contentment and makes them more inclined to hold conversations (2012, pg.

40), because they feel theres good news. People are more likely to engage in conversation if

they sense a positive atmosphere because they are more likely to be cheery and energetic. The

figure below is some of the questions that the nurses answered to show how much nonverbal
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

communication is used. Facial expressions are universal, therefore, the expression of sadness,

happiness, excitement, fear, and much more are recognizable across cultures.

Figure 1: Questionnaire that is filled out by patients and nurses to compare the use of nonverbal

communication.

Importance of Body Language in the Field of Nursing

The use of body language is a way for others to analyze and interpret what is meant by a

light touch to a punch in the face. It can be either positive or negative and silent or loud. Body

Language in Healthcare: A Contribution to Nursing Communication is an article that includes a

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

questionnaire and 120 hours of observation of nursing care in 2 different cardiology units, a

specialized hospital and a generalized hospital, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study is to describe

with more understanding the use of body language between a nurse and patient. Touch is

commonly seen because it is very important in nursing care by applying emotion. Indifferent

touch, which is defined as touch involved in technical procedures (De Carvalho de Rezende,

Pontes de Oliveira, Carvalho de Arajo, Felippe Guimares, do Esprito Santo, & Setenta Porto,

2015, pg. 433), was included in interactions with nurse and patient. Any feeling of touch from

the nurse to the patient that is not meaningful or emotional is known as indifferent touching, such

as, checking blood pressure, checking pulse, and examining the body during check-ups. The

action of touch normally has some social specific meaning, a touch for empathy or a light touch

to get someones attention. However, some people strongly dislike being touched, the idea of

having that closeness to someone else can be frightening for them because touch can come off as

intense or aggressive. In some religions, touch is an abnormal thing to do because some people

feel as if it is offensive. Just like touch, nurses have to be careful with their eye contact with

patients.

Analyzing Eye Contact

When involving eye contact, the nurse has to make sure she maintains good eye contact

and does not stare because that can be considered offensive in different cultures. Eye gaze during

a conversation makes the conversation seem more interesting and helps the speaker acknowledge

that he or she is listening. In the article Nurse-Patient Communication Interactions in the

Intensive Care Unit, nurse-patient interactions were recorded to analyze and interpret

communicative interactions, methods, and assistive techniques between nurses and nonspeaking

critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (Happ, Garrett, Thomas, Tate, George, Houze, &
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

Sereika, 2011). As seen in the figures below, eye contact has more occurrence between a positive

toned nurse and patient than a negative toned nurse. Eye contact is one of the main methods of

nonverbal communication because eye contact gives away how the patient is feeling and coping

with different situations.

Figure 2: Positive use of nonverbal communication by nurses.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

Figure 3: Negative nonverbal communication use by nurses.

Conclusion

Not everyone has the ability to verbally communicate, therefore, improving nonverbal

communication allows people who are speech disabled and hearing disabled to communicate

exactly how they feel and what they want. There are countless ways to express nonverbal

communication between a nurse and patient without the use of smiling, touch, and eye contact.

Nonverbal communication is vital in the medical field for those who cannot explain their main

problem through the expression of words. Understanding the different aspects of nonverbal

communication defines our relationships and interactions with others.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE BETWEEN A NURSE AND
PATIENT

References

De Carvalho de Rezende, R., Pontes de Oliveira, R. M., Carvalho de Arajo, S. T., Felippe

Guimares, T. C., do Esprito Santo, F. H., & Setenta Porto, I. (2015). Body language in

health care: a contribution to nursing communication. Revista Brasileira De

Enfermagem, 68(3), 430-436. doi:10.1590/0034-7167.2015680316i

Happ, M. B., Garrett, K., Thomas, D. D., Tate, J., George, E., Houze, M., . . . Sereika, S. (2011).

Nurse-patient communication interactions in the intensive care unit. Retrieved March 06,

2017, from http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/content/20/2/e28.full.pdf html

Kozowska, L., & Doboszynska, A. (2012). Nurses' nonverbal methods of communicating with

patients in the terminal phase. International Journal Of Palliative Nursing, 18(1), 40-46.