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Verbal Communication
 Objectives
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 Identify what is verbal communication.

 Discuss Two types of verbal communication.
 Explain the purposes of using clear language for effective verbal
communication with patients.
 Identify practices for effective verbal communication with patients
and other healthcare providers.
 Develop skills for listening and paraphrasing
 Explain why providing empathy and understanding to the patient
is so important
 Demonstrate the methods of questioning the patient
 Definition of Verbal Communication
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 Verbal communication is the use of spoken words

and sounds to successfully transfer a message from
the sender to the receiver
 Verbal communication it could be oral or written.
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oral communication -1
Written Communication -2
 Oral Communication -1
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 Oral communication implies communication through

mouth.
 It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it
direct conversation or telephonic conversation.
 Forms of oral communication.
o Face to face communication
o Telephone conversations
o Conferences / seminars / workshops
o Speeches, presentations, discussions, Lecture
 Advantages of Oral
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Communication
 Immediate Feedback
 Time Saving
 Personal Touch
 Secrecy
 Group Communication
 Disadvantage of Oral Communication
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 Poor Retention
 No Records
 Time Consuming
 Misunderstanding
 Unsuitable for Lengthy messages
 Lack of Responsibility
 Written Communication
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 A medium for communication that entails the written word.

 Forms of written communication.

 Email (Electronic mail) and Website

 Memorandums, Letters Minutes, Notices, Circulars, and Manuals

 Reports (both business and academic reports)

 Handbooks, Orders, Enquiries, and Complains.

 Advantages
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 Wide Access
 Accuracy
 Lengthy Messages
 Permanent Record
 Legal Evidence
 Fixed Responsibility
 Disadvantages
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 Time Consuming
 Costly
 Lack of Secrecy
 Rigidity
 Impersonal
 Delayed Feedback
 The purpose of using clear language for
effective verbal communication with patients
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1- Content and word choice.

2- Grammar and pronunciation.

3- Tone.

4- Emphasis

5- Small talk

6- Using commentaries
 The purpose of using clear language for
effective verbal communication with patients
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1- Content and word choice

The content provides the meaning of what a speaker intends to convey to

the listener

 For effective communication:

 The content must be clear (the speaker must first have a good understanding

of what they mean to say)

 The speaker must use words that accurately reflect their intended message

 The speaker should avoid unclear ambiguous or unnecessarily technical

language.
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
verbal communication with patients Cont.
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2- Grammar and pronunciation

Correct grammar and pronunciation enhances

understanding and rapport between sender and
receiver.
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
.verbal communication with patients Cont
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3- Tone
 Its vital to the therapeutic relationship between
health care professional and the patients.
 Tone should be relaxed and conversational.
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
.verbal communication with patients Cont

A. Expressive tone: it is
 Spontaneous
 Emotional
 Uninhibited
We use it when we express our feelings as
Telling jokes
Complain
We do not use it when dealing with patient because it
focuses on us rather than on the patient
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
.verbal communication with patients Cont

B. Directive tone:
 It is authoritative and judgmental
 It is used to give orders
 Pass judgment
 Its not also appropriate to use when dealing with patients…
power.
C. Problem solving tone
 Its rational
 Objective

 Unbiased

.It’s the most form we use when dealing with patients

 The purpose of using clear language for effective
verbal communication with patients Cont.

4- Emphasis
How the speaker says what they want to say is as
important as what they want to say.
Consider the following versions of the same sentence:
I believe you will get better.
Each sentence has a different word emphasized.
 I believe you will get better.

 The emphasis here suggests that the speaker is

perhaps alone in believing the patient will get better.

 The purpose of using clear language for effective
verbal communication with patients Cont.

4- Emphasis
I believe you will get better.
 This sentence has an emphasis that says the speaker

may have some doubt about the patient’s

improvement, but really wants to believe it.
 I believe you will get better.

 This last version’s emphasis on the word “better”

suggests that the speaker may not actually doubt the

words they are saying about the patient’s
improvement, but that the speaker still wants to cheer
the patient on.
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
verbal communication with patients Cont.

5- Small talk
 Its what we say to each other before we begin to

discuss the business at hand

 Talk about weather
 Sports
 It can be used to help ease the patient stress
 The purpose of using clear language for effective
verbal communication with patients Cont.

6- Using commentaries
 Comments on what you are doing (changing

cannula)
 It is strengthen rapport

 But do not use it frequently coz it will distract the

patients.
 Important practices for effective verbal
communication with patients
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1- Send a Clear Message

 An effective message is a clear message

2- Use standard English not slang

 This could be accomplished when you

communicate with the patient in a manner that is

professional and appropriate.
3- Avoid using medical terminology when speaking
to the patient
 Important practices for effective verbal
communication with patients cont.
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4- Talk to the patient, not at the patient, and be a

good listener.
5- Help the patient to be a good listener
 Developing skills for listening and
paraphrasing what the patient says

 Perhaps the most important part of good listening is

paraphrasing.
 To paraphrase is to use your own words to repeat
what someone else has said.
 Good paraphrasing skills are essential to effective
communication.
 Developing skills for listening and
.paraphrasing what the patient says cont
 A test of the message for the HCP
paraphrasing back to the patient
 A test of the message for the patient

 The patient listens to their HCP’s paraphrase, checking

to see that the paraphrase is what the patient intended

to say and that the HCP understands.
 Building a rapport-a human connection

 Focusing on the patient and keeping the patient talking.

 Developing skills for listening and
.paraphrasing what the patient says cont

 Good Paraphrasing verifies that you have understood the

patient and is essential to building rapport and showing
empathy, all of which can lead to a better outcome.
 Empathy: to feel what another person is feeling (to put
yourself in the patient shoes)
 Sympathy : to have an awareness of what another person
is feeling, to feel sorry for them
 Questioning the patient
 Open ended questions…….needs paraphrasing
 Closed questions…………short and focused answers
 Multiple choice questions…they can be complicated to
the patient
Some Do’s and Don’ts
 Use patient name..important for rapport
 Do not interrupt the patient
 Do not give the patient unsought or unrelated
advice
 Do not talk about yourself instead of talking about
the patient
 Do not tell the patient you know how they feel
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