• Take the time / effort to build to build a relationship of trust / respect from the beginning of the interview
• Attend to the patient’s physical comfort:
  • Appropriate temperature for patients in hospital gowns
  • Lighting: too much glare or too dim
  • Ensure pain, nausea other physical symptoms are addressed early
  • Being seated allows for a more equal footing rather than standing over the patient
  • Try be seated at an angle rather than directly across – decreases confrontation / barriers

Silverman, J., Kurtz, S., & Draper, J. (2013). Skills for Communicating with Patients (Thrid Edit). London: Radcliffe Publishing.