I was talking with a nurse educator about the uncertainty and difficulties nursing students can face as they learn the specialized language of medicine. She said, “Because this is a different language. It’s very difficult for a student to come in and talk ‘urination.’ They’re used to saying ‘pee.’ And yet their patients aren’t going […]
So, your organization is doing unconscious bias training? Three things to consider
Just over two weeks ago, I was giving a talk at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health about addressing unconscious bias in our language. At the end, one of the questions I received from a participant was: “It sometimes takes a lifetime to create those biases, that sometimes become innate. How do [we] unlearn […]
Who are the people in your neighborhood (when it comes to health communication)?
When we’re talking about health, sometimes it can feel like we’re speaking different languages. Different groups have different ways of talking and thinking about health, wellness, and healthcare. So who’s in your neighborhood when it comes to health communication? Who do you find it easiest to talk with? And what does it take to talk […]
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Why talking about ‘health’ across different groups is tough, and 3 things providers can do
This week, I was at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, giving a webinar through the Region 2 Public Health Training Center. It was about addressing unconscious bias in our language. While I was there, I was participating in, or overhearing, multiple conversations about health and healthcare. Some while walking across campus, some while […]
Using microaggressions as a tool to address unconscious bias
I’m just back from New York, where I gave a webinar at Columbia University through the Mailman School of Public Health and Region 2 Public Health Training Center. This podcast episode takes up part of what I talked about in the webinar: unconscious bias as it shows up in our language. We all want our […]