What it means
Nonverbal communication is everything people say without words: facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, touch, distance and tone of voice. It often tells more than words do. A nonverbal client is one who cannot speak, such as an infant, a client on a ventilator or a client with severe dementia.
For the nurse
Watch for nonverbal signs of pain in clients who cannot speak: grimacing, guarding, moaning or restlessness, and use a nonverbal pain scale. Keep your own body language open and calm, and sit at the client's eye level.
At a glance
| Spanish | no verbal |
|---|---|
| Also written | non-verbal, nonverbally |
Related terms
cue
A piece of information about a client, such as a sign, symptom, lab value or remark, that the nurse notices and uses to make a judgment.
aphasia
Loss or impairment of the ability to understand or use language, from damage to the brain.
therapeutic communication
Purposeful, client-centered communication that helps a client express feelings and work toward health.