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 […]
Patient Education
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 […]
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 […]
Free webinar Apr 3 on unconscious bias via Columbia University School of Public Health
Hello friends, I’m so proud to offer a free webinar on unconscious bias in our language, in conjunction with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and the Region 2 Public Health Training Center. It is Tuesday, April 3 at Noon Eastern. Registration is here: https://tinyurl.com/Login2LearnAPR2018 Recent research on unconscious bias has shown how public health, […]
Infographic: 10 different ways to organize your patient education
Do you ever feel like a broken record, explaining the same topics, the same way, over and over? Or maybe you sense that the way you’re explaining complex concepts, during patient education, isn’t having the impact you’d like. This infographic is for you. It’s about: different ways to get your message across. easy alternatives for […]
The more differences between you and your patient, the more important it is to ditch deficit thinking
One medical educator wrote me in response to the podcast, “How a small change in what you say can improve your patient education.” She thanked me for giving a ‘name’ to the problem that is a deficit perspective. She pointed out the tension between approaching a patient focused on the problem, and approaching a patient […]