Communication

Welcome to the Communication limb of the NACES Quality of Life Tree

• The authors of the Communication Branch are Linda Burhansstipanov, Linda Krebs and Edward Gamito

Talking to Your Healthcare Provider

Communication includes more than just the words you say. It also includes the tone you use when you say the words and the way you hold your body (body language) when you are saying the words.

1. Verbal skills (word choice; pronunciation, enunciation) =7% of the message
2. Vocal (rate, pitch, volume) =38% of the message
3. Non-verbal (body language, movement, gestures) =55% of the message

Miscommunication refers to the ways that we interact with our provider that doesn't work well. It also includes the ways our providers interact with us as patients that doesn't work well. It means that whatever we are trying to communicate to one another (patient-provider) is not being understood.

Providers throughout NACES primarily refers to any healthcare providers you talk with throughout your cancer care: doctors, nurses, radiation technicians, chemotherapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, hospital insurance officers, financial officers, IHS contracted health service representatives, and so on

Does your provider really hear you? It can be difficult to communicate, especially if you're stressed over your illness or in unfamiliar surroundings of your provider's office. Additionally, when you are diagnosed with cancer, the members of your cancer care team begin to use a lot of medical and scientific words and phrases you may have never heard before.