There are more than four million women currently working in the medical industry. Whether you are a nurse, an x-ray technician, or a surgeon, you will need to rely on your interpersonal skills to improve your bedside manner. Your bedside manner is essentially the way that you communicate with your patients. A good bedside manner can greatly improve the experience of both patients and caregivers.

Not only can a good bedside manner help you understand your patient’s needs more effectively, but it will also go a long way towards positive patient reviews. Nurses who have received accusations from a medical board can attest to how important a solid bedside manner can be.

While you don’t want to improve your patient skills to simply avoid complaints, knowing how to keep your patients happy should always be a priority. Let’s take a closer look at a few ways that you can master your bedside manner.

Full Focus

As a busy healthcare worker, you will always have tasks and responsibilities pulling you in a dozen different directions. While time management can be a challenge, your patients don’t want to feel like they don’t have your full attention. When you approach your patient, it’s important to maintain full focus on what they are saying. Good communication and listening skills are a solid way to build a connection with your patients.

Listen to Understand

If you are listening while waiting for a chance to respond, you are not effectively giving your full attention. To be a good listener, you need to listen to understand and put your urge to respond in the background. Your patient needs to be able to communicate their needs to you for you to be able to give them the proper care. Practiced listeners make more effective and empathetic caregivers.

Simple Language

You and your colleagues may talk shop all day long, but that doesn’t mean that your medical jargon will be understood by your patients. Most people only have a limited knowledge of medical terms and procedures. It’s up to you to explain to your patients, in simple language the process of their treatment in simple language. Large terms and complex sounding procedures can be frightening for your patients. Always use simple language without being condescending to help your patients feel more at ease about their treatment. 

Introduction

Something as simple as a proper introduction can start building the bridge between you and your patients. In a clinical setting, your patient may be in contact with numerous people and have trouble keeping track of names and purposes. It’s important to take the time to clearly introduce yourself to your patient and let them know how you will be involved in their treatment. 

Exit Strategy

Some of your patients may not have a lot to say, while others will want to chat. In many cases, the stress of being in a medical setting is enough to make patients nervous and chatty. While you want to keep communication open with your patients, you need to always have a planned exit strategy ready. 

As a medical caregiver, there are always ways to improve your skills. One of the most important ways to master your bedside manner is simply to care about your patients, their treatment, and comfort. Practice these skills to help you become a more effective nurse, technician, or doctor.