Introduction
In the nursing profession, proper work with patients plays a vital role in the overall treatment process. While the patient is in the hospital, the nurse becomes his guardian, the closest person to him in the place. Therefore, it is critical to establish proper communication between the patient and the healthcare provider. Both verbal and non-verbal means of communication can be used. Although verbal means of communication are accepted to be convenient and quick to use, they can give nurses important information about the patient’s condition. Non-verbal communication is a universal method in the nursing profession.
Discussion
Before determining the main characteristics of non-verbal communication, it may be useful to consider what communication means. According to Whittard (2019), “Non-verbal communication pertains to every manner and form of communication which does not use or entail the use of spoken language” (p. 1). When people are injured or have traumas, they are often unable to talk (Clifton et al., 2017). In such cases, non-verbal communication is an indispensable tool for understanding the patient’s needs, problems, complaints, and general condition. Non-verbal communication skills can be divided into haptics, proxemics, and kinesics (Wright & McKeown, 2018). Such communication can be called body language.
Often non-verbal communication is used instead of verbal communication specifically. According to Pollard & Jakubec (2022), “some may consider it normal to use dramatic body language when describing emotional problems” (p. 146). For example, using the patient’s facial expressions, the nurse can consider such emotions as happiness, fear, sadness, surprise, anger, disgust, and others (Whittard, 2019). About the naturality of this Hercelinskyj and Alexander (2019) state, that “maintaining good eye contact means natural eye contact, not staring…” (p. 71). In the mental health nursing profession, non-verbal communication can have a therapeutic effect on the patient, which will positively affect the overall course of treatment. In addition, it will be a valuable tool for building confidence and understanding.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it may be essential to emphasize the main effect and knowledge that nurses can get using non-verbal communication with the patient. The main impact of such communication can be not only to obtain data on the patient’s condition but also to have a therapeutic effect on the patient. On the other hand, knowledge of the patient’s body language will help establish communication between him and the medical staff. These features make non-verbal communication a critical and versatile method in mental health nursing.
References
Clifton, A., Hemingway, S., Felton, A., & Stacey, G. (2017). Fundamentals of mental health nursing: An essential guide for nursing and healthcare students. John Wiley & Sons.
Hercelinskyj, G., & Alexander, L. (2019). Mental health nursing: Applying theory to practice. Cengage AU.
Pollard, C. L., & Jakubec, S. L. (2022). Varcarolis’s Canadian psychiatric mental health nursing. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Whittard, T. J. (2019). Nursing therapeutics 1: Verbal and non-verbal communication with reference to an interaction between two mental health nurses. GRIN Verlag.
Wright, K., & McKeown, M. (2018). Essentials of mental health nursing. SAGE.