How can you communicate effectively with an anxious patient?

Reduces Anxiety: By truly listening to their concerns and validating their feelings, you can help them feel heard and understood. This can create a sense of trust and calm them down. Gathers Information: Active listening allows you to pinpoint the specific source of their anxiety. Are they worried about the procedure, the diagnosis, or something else entirely? This knowledge helps you tailor your communication accordingly.

As someone with severe anxiety, the best way to start is by asking them what they need in order to assist with their anxiety. Many of us need different things. I need ALL the information in layman's terms. Others don't want any information, just calming reassurance. And some just need to be distracted. Most of us realize how absurd our anxiety is and wish we could turn it off. Most of us feel unseen and unheard. Simply by asking what we need and acknowledging our anxiety will help tremendously!

Active listening is key in patient advocacy, especially when you are dealing with an anxious patient. First, you may ask what the patient is feeling anxious about-- encourage them to tell you what is on their mind, and that you are here to listen actively to them. Ask questions where appropriate, show empathy, and really understand how they're feeling. Listen to understand, not to respond. Active listening rules!

This is especially important when delivering test results. Most lab reports I have received have tons of medical terms. With my anxiety, I then go to the internet to look up every other word to try and understand, which can lead to 'scary' places. We will often ignore the word 'benign' when it is embedded in medical terms. Sending a simple overview of what those terms mean (to keep us off the internet) can head off a breakdown.

When speaking to patients, refrain from using medical jargon, acronyms, and technical terms. Remember, you are not a doctor, you are only a patient advocate. Some may not know that hypertension is high blood pressure, that GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflex disease, or that plantar fasciitis is a form of heel pain. Explain these to patients in laypeople terms-- not everyone has a medical background, and you are likely to get confused and worried looks instead of being at ease.

This goes back to item 1. Ask what they need. I recently had a procedure and all they did was provide reassurance. Unfortunately for me, this was not helpful at all and actually increased my anxiety. However, this might be helpful for someone else. Go back to #1 and ASK what they need.

This is helpful. Especially if you are talking about treatment options or more frequent screenings. However, many times we do not know what questions to ask. I hate when someone asks me if I have any questions - I don't know what I don't know. Or for some of us, it takes time to process what we just heard and then have questions later. Offering them a chance to preview the information or contact you later with questions is helpful.

Allowing patients to take charge and make decisions about their healthcare is very empowering. Yes, the doctor may make suggestions on next actions to take in the treatment plan, but in the end, it is up to the patient, and the treatment cannot go through without their consent, otherwise that would be unethical. Patients should be free to decide the type of treatment they receive, unless otherwise incapacitated (physically or mentally), which would then warrant a power of attorney.

It is important to follow up with patients and their medical team regularly. Also, if you promised the patient you would do something, make sure you follow through!

Yes! After a procedure last week, I am searching for ways to contact the hospital to ask about what training they offer for staff in dealing with anxious patients. Many of us want to help staff understand us better. Some of us would be willing to talk to staff about how to handle us (again, many of us realize how difficult we can be to deal with).