Nonverbal cues in different cultures
A medical setting is often the crossroads for people of different cultures and backgrounds. Body language that may be normal for Westerners may be seen as rude or hostile to people from other parts of the world. MedHunters.com offers these basics that you should know when dealing with patients, families and coworkers of a different culture:
1. Handshake
The handshake is regarded as the universal gesture of greeting. However, even this simple gesture takes on its own nuance in different cultures. For instance, in America and Canada, and Germany it’s custom to give a firm handshake while the French prefer a soft, quick handshake. The Japanese couple their handshake with a bow. When greeting a person from the Middle East, be sure to place the free hand on the forearm of the other person when shaking their hand.
2. Bowing
Bowing also common as a form of greeting in Asian cultures. East Asians such as the Japanese bow with their hands pressed to their sides. The depth of the bow signals the amount of respect you are paying to the person you greet. Other variations of the bow include the Pakistani ‘salaam’ – bowing with the palm of the right hand on the forehead. People from Cambodia and Laos bow with hands in front of their chests.
Image: Tanya Constantine | Digital Vision | Getty Images
3. Hugging and kissing
A hospital or clinic is filled with hugging and kissing every day as families greet and comfort their loved ones, and often times to show gratitude towards the nurses and staff. The customary hug and kiss can differ from culture to culture. For instance, men in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Eastern Europe and Middle East exchange kisses on the cheek. Hawaiians include an exchange of breath called the “aha” while hugging. The Maori have a gretting called ‘hongi’ which includes the pressing together of noses.
4. Eye contact
Westerners will make eye contact to show engagement while speaking. But what do the Japanese and Middle Easterners think of eye contact? The Japanese regard direct eye contact as invasive and may find it rude. In the Middle East conversely, intense eye contact may be a way for a person to suss out the other’s intentions and thus one may come in close to see the eyes more clearly.
Always remember that individuals have their own way of using body language that may or may not be in line with their background or culture. Always ask questions to avoid misunderstanding and confusion and always, always show respect for cultural traditions and customs.
Patients | Coworkers | Manager | Patient’s Family | Different Cultures | Improve Your Workday
I think this is a very interesting article with good cues to tune in to when dealing with people. The nature of our job focuses on interpersonal relationships, and oftentimes these relationships have to be formed in times of extreme stress and anxiety for the receiving end, the patient. Taking nonverbal cues is extremely important and I think the author details many of these in an effective manner. Would love more details about patient interaction. Eye contact is another big factor and sign of a person’s comfort level along with pacing in the room. I like the section about body angles which can be very important when doing family education- a family member that leans in and is engaged is more likely to be absorbing the information as opposed to the person that sits far away from you and avoids eye contact. I thought the co-worker and manager section was interesting because I would not have thought to analyze a person with hands behind the head or on the hips but I will after reading this. Something else that is extremely important for healthcare professionals to remember is taking into account various cultural practices and differences. Some cultures may exhibit a body language or nonverbal cue that could be taken as rude to what you view as norm, but in their culture it is customary such as avoiding eye contact or sitting in a certain position. Be open to nonverbal cues but also be aware that some people may interpret cues differently than you.
How thrilled I was to find more and more males going into the nursing profession. But there is no doubt that the male nurse has a totaly different relationship w/ the doctors. Even the patients assume because the sex of the nurse is male that he must be a doctor and very few of the nurses correct that assumption. I have been nurse for 40 years and do not believe that all male nurses are superior to me because of their sex.The whole story has to be RESPECT and this is something that has to be earned not a given because of birth rights.
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5. Eye Contact
Doesn’t apply to all patients. I suffer from severe headaches, eye contact is disturbing, impossible to hold a gaze and talk or listen at the same time. I get distracted. If Doc talks to me and i look at him i can’t understand everything being and i also forget what i was going to say. Suddenly my memory blocks and words i just had in mind vanishes but turning my eye or looking at an other direction everything gets better and words come to mind again. Also usually my head and eyes look downwards for the most part. However as i try hard not to look down to avoid miss understanding of my body language, it also makes the headache worse, there is being times i have vomited by struggling not to look downwards and try to hold a gaze at physicians offices. And a drop of a needle on the floor is distracting, sound sensitive and takes my attention away when Doc clicks the computer mouse while there for treatment, the sound of the clicks worsens not only the headache but feel pain through the ear going straight right to middle of the head and feels like it is something physical touching the pain inside of the head. In short it really depends on the disease.