Hi- welcome back 😊
I hope you took one learning from the previous blog and used it in your
clinical practice this week. How did it go? Did you find the tips useful? Let me
know.
This week, I would like to share one of the tools mentioned in the previous
blog.
This is something that resonates with me as I remember being a painfully shy
trainee Medical Imaging Technologist, left with patients undergoing
procedures like barium enemas and myelograms (thankfully, they don’t do
those anymore!), having to make small talk to distract them from what they
were experiencing.
My small-talk abilities have improved over the years, and now I can keep a
conversation going with anyone because I have my script with me, one I have
developed over the years from watching my senior colleagues and clinical
tutors. I would like to share this with you.
I call it the “2-minute Relationship Builder”.
We all struggle with time constraints in our clinical work, and it is difficult to
establish trust, reduce patient anxiety, and improve patient outcomes in the
time we have. Ideally, we would want to turn a brief transactional relationship
into a meaningful human connection.
Let’s start with what we should not do. We should not enter the room and
introduce ourselves by saying, “I’m here to take your blood,” or “We’re doing
your X-ray today.” This immediately frames the interaction as a medical
procedure to the patient.
The 2-minute Relationship Builder flips the script and frames the interaction as
a partnership with the patient.
Start with a greeting and a smile. Introduce yourself to the patient and state
why you are there.
Make a connection: “How has your morning been?”
“How are you feeling today?”
It’s important to gauge patient anxiety levels, stressors, and how much
support they may need during the examination/procedure.
Ask questions relevant to the setting:
“How was the traffic getting here? I hope it didn’t take too long.”- This can give
you an indication of their anxiety level.
“Did you bring someone with you today?” This can help you assess their
support system.
“Are you off to work after this, or have you taken the day off to attend your
appointment?” This will help you establish a connection with your patient as
they chat to you about their work, and if you need to distract them from
feeling anxious.
Reflect and respond to your patient. Listen and connect. Engaging your patient
in small talk immediately allows them to relax and connect with you on a
human level.
Once your connection has been established, move on to the clinical part of your task.
Let the patient know that you are going to move on to what you came into the room
to do:
“It’s wonderful that you have your daughter supporting you today. Let’s get
started on doing your X-ray. Before we start, is there anything you would like to
ask, or can I go ahead and explain what I am going to do?”
We may label what we do as “small talk,” but it is an important practice that is
relevant. Asking questions helps establish what your patient needs. You can gauge
anxiety levels, stressors, and respond accordingly.
Using this script is efficient and does not impact your clinical time. You can build a
connection with your patient and give them a sense of control in a situation where
they often feel powerless.
Research shows that even brief relationship-building lowers physiological stress
markers, increases patient satisfaction and trust, reduces malpractice risks, and
reduces burnout in clinical staff by creating more meaningful and less transactional
relationships with their patients (Australian Commission for Quality and Safety in
Healthcare, 2025; Sharkiya, 2023).
I hope you have gathered a few tips to improve your “small talk” abilities. Please let
me know how you are using them and the outcomes you have observed.
I love feedback on my content as it allows me to improve, grow, and tailor my content
to what you, as my audience needs.
Till next week 😊
Fathima
References:
Australian Commission for Quality and Safety in Healthcare, 2025, Communicating
with patients and colleagues.
URL: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/communicating-safety/
communicating-patients-and-colleagues.
Sharkiya SH. Quality communication can improve patient-centred health outcomes
among older patients: a rapid review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Aug 22;23(1):886. doi:
10.1186/s12913-023-09869-8. PMID: 37608376; PMCID: PMC10464255