| Body language is often talked about within the | | | | you that something as simple as a "pleasant smile" |
| context of business only. Interestingly enough, this | | | | is not delivered to patients, by nurses and/or |
| is only a thin slice of where non verbal | | | | physicians nearly enough. We now know that |
| communication can be used to influence the | | | | "Mirror Neurons"- discovered recently by Italian |
| outcome of your communication. The hospital | | | | researchers at the University of Parma- actually |
| setting is one such environment. | | | | cause us to mimic, and thus feel, something |
| When people show up in the emergency room at | | | | similar to what the people we are looking at are |
| a hospital, the emotions they are experiencing run | | | | doing with their body and expressions. |
| from "very concerned" to "horrified." Research is | | | | By simply placing a smile on your own face- even |
| continues to support the fact that non verbal | | | | if you have to force it-changes in your chemistry |
| cues can have a tremendous impact on our | | | | begin to occur in seconds. Because of mirror |
| communication with others. The last thing a | | | | neurons, we can assist others with useful changes |
| patient in the ER needs is a nurse that is | | | | as well. |
| communicating fear with their body language. In | | | | Again, because of the way mirror neurons work, |
| this instance, a cybernetic loop of "fear-more | | | | once we have caused someone else to smile, |
| fear-fear-more fear" is created between the | | | | their feedback will actually reinforce our own |
| patient and the healthcare provider. | | | | smiling, making it even easier for use to smile and |
| By learning to become aware of the signals we | | | | feel good, and back and forth it goes. |
| are sending with our body, and then delivering the | | | | How much more energy would you have at the |
| non verbal signals that would best support the | | | | end of a 12 hour shift if you were using your |
| situation at hand, we can dramatically alter, not | | | | body language in a way that, as research has |
| only the mental, emotional and psychological | | | | proven, caused a significant drop in stress |
| responses of those we are talking to, but we will | | | | hormones such as cortisol, and increases in |
| be causing their body's very chemistry to change | | | | anti-aging hormones like DHEA? |
| for the better. | | | | Begin using something as simple as a smile more |
| Having worked on oncology and cardiology floors | | | | often, and you'll find that both you and the |
| at the San Diego Nava Medical Center, I can tell | | | | patients you care for feel better. |