Nurses & Healthcare Professionals · situation guide
Invite the patient's priority, clarify their description, and acknowledge uncertainty or hesitation.
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The patient's words describe their experience; an unclear term is a reason to ask, not to supply an interpretation.
Vocabulary for this situation
Ask what a description means
Use clarify to make information, meaning, expectations, or a position clearer and easier to understand, often by adding detail or removing ambiguity.
“Could you clarify what you mean when you say you feel dizzy?”
Usage note: Ask about the experience without assigning a diagnosis.
Practice “clarify” →Recognize the person's concern
Acknowledge means recognize or openly show awareness of a fact, concern, contribution, or feeling. Acknowledging something does not necessarily mean agreeing with it, approving it, apologizing, or solving it.
“I want to acknowledge how worrying the wait has been for you.”
Usage note: Recognizing worry does not confirm a suspected cause.
Practice “acknowledge” →Offer grounded support
Reassure means make someone feel less worried by giving support or grounded confidence. Reassurance does not require or justify a guarantee, and it should not dismiss the person’s concern.
“I can reassure you that your question has been passed to the reviewing clinician.”
Usage note: Do not turn reassurance into an unsupported prediction.
Practice “reassure” →Communication sequence
Could you clarify what you mean when you say you feel dizzy?
I want to acknowledge how worrying the wait has been for you.
I can reassure you that your question has been passed to the reviewing clinician.
Common mistakes
Related guides
Start with a focused set of expressions. Understand the meaning, compare examples, and write your own response with feedback.
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