Bite-size pieces.

Have you ever presented a lot of information to your patient at once – really important information, information you just had to get out right then and there all in one blow so they could soak it all in and get the full picture? Chances are your patient started shifting in place, or looking around the room. Maybe the eyes glazed over, or they started looking beyond you and into the hallway.

Turns out people are really bad at processing a lot of information at one time, especially when emotions are thrown into the mix. The solution? Give information in bite-size pieces. Cut it all up into smaller pieces that they can cognitively and emotionally digest. And after each bite (or a few bites, depending on the information), check in to see how they’re doing. “Any questions so far?” or “I just shared a lot of information, what’s going through your mind right now?” are good places to start.

If you present information in bite-size pieces, then you’ll find the conversation flows more smoothly and there will be a lot less confusion at the end.