Body language is an important part of communication with others. It can be used to detect emotions, intentions, and thoughts of the speaker.
Body language is also helpful in health care because it can be used to understand what patients are feeling even if they don’t express themselves verbally.
There are several strategies that social workers use to help patients. One strategy is to ask questions about what they think or feel about their situation, and then use body language as a guide for understanding the patient’s perspective.
There are some key elements to understanding body language in any setting, but especially in social care. In order to properly understand a patient’s perspective, you need to know how to read body language correctly, as well as considering the context and environment the patient is in.
Once you can read body language or start to understand the basics, you should read in clusters of information to get a true understanding. The biggest lesson in nonverbal communication is that there are no absolutes.
To learn to read body language correctly we recommend you read this post “How To Read Body Language“
There is plenty to learn when it comes to understanding body language in a social care setting, but if you take the time to learn nonverbal communication you will be able to impact everyone around you in a more positive way.
How Is Body Language Used In Healthcare And Social Care?
Body language is a powerful communication tool. It can be used to help the patient feel more at ease, build rapport and create a therapeutic environment. Body language is also important as it helps to identify possible physical or emotional stressors that could lead to injury or illness.
In the health and social care setting, body language provides an insight into what physical and emotional needs may be present. By looking at body language, we can identify problems such as pain, distress or discomfort which could lead to a need for referral or intervention.
What you say is as important as how you say it! The way that we move our bodies communicates a lot about what we are thinking or feeling at any given time.
Examples: When we feel embarrassed or shy, we often cover up our face with one hand. When someone tells a story that made them laugh out loud they will often put their hand on their stomach and shake their head from side to side with an open mouth and widened eyes.
We can use this information when communicating with the public or patients to give us a sense of whether they are telling the whole truth about their situation or how they truly feel about their situation. Once you notice a shift in their nonverbals, you can dig deeper or move the conversation along depending on what you deem to be necessary at the time.
You can also use your understanding of body language to protect yourself and others, notice any shifts in behavior in your client to avoid any unnecessary negative situations.
How To Greet Somebody For The First Time In Heath Care?
We have around five seconds to make a good first impression. These impressions, formed by others, will be lasting impressions. So it’s important to get them right the first time.
First impressions are very important because they have a huge impact on how people perceive you in future meetings.
There are many ways to do this, but the most important thing is to be genuine and authentic both in words and in manner. If you are a doctor or nurse, you should be wearing the correct attire and speaking with authority. Most patients are indoctrinated from birth to follow the lead of a person they believe is in authority. There have been a number of studies that prove the effectiveness of what we wear or how to dress has a large impact on how others see us.
When meeting someone for the first time best not to look down or examine your phone while talking. Always be on time and greet them with a genuine smile with the eyes and fades over time.
It’s also important to greet them with a good handshake as this does one of two things shows you are not a threat and have nothing concealed in your hand and also if the handshake is done correct leave a good strong impression.
Communicating Positive Body Language!
There are a number of ways to use your nonverbals in a positive way we have listed the most important ones below.
Here are some tips on good body language in people who are speaking with you:
- Make good strong eye contact.
- Keep an open posture/stay relaxed.
- Use open gestures.
- Point feet towards the person you are talking with.
- Keep your hands in view.
- Show the palms of your hands.
- Stand with a straight back.
- Keep your hands above your navel where you can.
- Use an eyebrow flash to greet people.
- Use a true smile.
Inappropriate Body Language In Health And Social Care!
Depending on the context, there are few words we should avoid using in a professional environment.
Never roll your eyes at a patient or colleague as this shows disrespect and is a good way to trigger a negative response from a person.
Never turn your back on someone in the middle of a conversation again. That’s just disrespectful.
Never point directly at someone when trying to get your point across.
Don’t stare at anyone for prolonged periods of time. This could be seen as confrontational and the results will only be negative.
We will make these mistakes from time to time, or when our emotions get the better of us. Being aware of them will help us to slowly eliminate them and, if necessary, apologize before it’s too late.
How To Hold Yourself In A Meeting Correctly.
It’s not enough to just show up to a meeting. You need to drive impact to improve the situation.
In social care, there are often lots of meetings that take place. However, these meetings can be ineffective if they don’t have a clear purpose and agenda. In order to make the most out of your social care team’s time, you need to know how to hold yourself and communicate you know what you are talking about.
There are few things we can do with our body language in order to present ourselves better and get our points across.
When you enter the room, look each person in the eye and greet them with a warm smile. Remember that most people are wearing a mask or putting on a front in order to survive another day.
When you are trying to get a point across, use illustrators to emphasize your point. Illustrators are when your hands move in time to point something out in the message you are trying to get across.
Notice the blink rate of the room. If you can see people blinking fast, they’re not engaged in what you’re saying. If, however, you notice a slower blink rate, then you know they’re taking on board what you’re saying.
Always make sure people can see your hands and palms when you talk and hold them above your waistline.
Never put your phone on the table in a meeting, even if others do it. It shows your intention and indicates on a subconscious level that you are not the priority in the room. Their phone is.
Examples Of Body Language In Health And Social Care.
Firstly, we should be aware of how physical contact can make people feel differently. Just by touching someone we can make them feel more relaxed or create a sense of intimacy. We might do this when giving someone their medicines, for example. Secondly, body language is sometimes linked with voice tone and volume. It’s important to use these things in our communication with patients to show that we’re listening and responding to them properly – especially if they’re upset about something. And finally, body language often reflects how we feel inside too. There are plenty of examples throughout this website for a more in-depth look please check out our website here.
Final Thoughts.
Communication is an important part of any job, but especially in healthcare. Misunderstandings, wrong information, and missed opportunities can lead to poor outcomes for patients. The use of body language in health and social care settings is very powerful. There are many different types of body language that you should know about. And pay attention to the non-verbal signals that patients or other staff might be sending too! We hope you have enjoyed reading this post and if you want to read body language check out How To Read Body Language & Nonverbal Cues (The Correct Way)
