How to communicate: ''I care''

In the competitive health care environment, organizations are concerned with patients' perceptions of health care received. The nurse in the radiology setting has the unique opportunity to be involved with all patient populations. In the area of verbal-nonverbal communication, the nurse often responds automatically without always being sensitive to how the response is perceived by the other person. This session is a review of the health care provider's need for basic sensitivity to others and an ability to respond effectively to emotional issues. The objectives of this session are to enable readers to (1) identify appropriate methods of approaching a person in a wheelchair, (2) state basic fundamental ideas when communicating and working with a confused or head-injured person, and (3) identify appropriate words to project positive mental images for people who happen to have a disability