Poor communication can negatively affect health outcomes, but when nurses adopt a person-centred approach they can improve their conversations with patients

The choice of language that healthcare professionals use to talk to – or about – patients can have a profound effect on clinical interactions and outcomes. At its best, healthcare professionals’ use of language can lower patients’ anxiety, build confidence, educate and improve self-care, as one NHS England report points out. Conversely, poor communication can be stigmatising, hurtful and can undermine self-care and have a detrimental effect on clinical outcomes.