Language of Caring Communication Skills Training

Dear Colleagues,

Have you ever observed a nurse, food service worker, lab technician or other staff member smile and make eye contact when entering a patient's room, acknowledge a lengthy wait time with a sincere apology, or listen intently to a family member's concerns? If so, you know what a positive difference these behaviors can make in someone's day. In each of these situations, staff members exhibit a practice known as the Language of Caring.

Along with our expertise in providing exceptional patient care, Johns Hopkins Medicine also wants staff members to be conscious of the way we interact with our patients and their loved ones.

We now offer training in Language of Caring skills to help us strengthen the way we communicate so that we consistently demonstrate our caring to the people we serve. The Language of Caring, which features 10 interactive, brief modules—from showing caring nonverbally to the blameless apology—is the key to our patient- and family-centered care initiatives. We believe the result of staff members learning and implementing this communication approach will be more trust and less anxiety on the part of patients and families, a more healing environment, and a five-star patient experience.

Please plan to focus on one skill at a time so you can apply what you learn to your everyday work situations, and then internalize that skill before moving to the next. The first module will be the Practice of Presence, which focuses on ways to reflect an attitude that makes patients, your colleagues and others feel listened to and special. Please set aside 15 minutes to take this module before the end of July or participate in a Practice of Presence learning session with your department or team.

Log on to take the Presence of Practice on myLearning.

Watch for more information in our publications about the schedule for the other modules. Please contact languageofcaring@jhmi.edu if you have questions or visit the Language of Caring page.

Lisa Allen, Ph.D.
Chief Patient Experience Officer
Johns Hopkins Medicine