How to Improve Patient Communication and Build Trust Quickly

Building trust with a patient doesn’t have to take weeks. The first few minutes at the bedside can set the tone for everything that follows: how honestly they talk to you, whether they follow the plan of care, and even how safe they are during their stay.

In a healthcare system where more than 80% of serious medical errors involve miscommunication between caregivers, communication is a patient safety intervention.

Here’s how to improve patient communication and build trust quickly, even on a busy shift.

How to Improve Patient Communication and Build Trust Quickly

1. Start Strong in the First 60 Seconds

Patients decide very quickly whether they feel safe with you. A deliberate, grounded opening can change the entire interaction.

Try this simple checklist when you enter the room:

• Make eye contact and smile

• Introduce yourself by name and role

• Use the patient’s preferred name

• Give one clear sentence about what you’re there to do

• Ask a quick, open-ended question: “What’s worrying you most right now?”

Research consistently shows that good nurse–patient communication improves the patient experience, increases satisfaction scores, and supports better recovery and lower readmission risk.

Those first moments tell the patient: “You matter. I see you, not just your diagnosis.” That feeling is the foundation of trust.

2. Listen Like It’s Part of the Treatment (Because It Is)

Most patients are used to being rushed. When a nurse actually pauses to listen, it stands out.

Practical ways to show active listening:

• Sit down when you can – patients perceive you as spending more time with them, even if it’s just a minute or two.

• Use short verbal cues: “I hear you,” “That sounds really tough,” “Let me make sure I’ve got this right…”

• Reflect key points: “So your pain is worst at night, and that’s when you feel most anxious – did I get that right?”

3. Use Plain Language and Teach-Back

Medical jargon can shut down trust fast. If patients feel confused or embarrassed, they’re less likely to ask questions or follow the plan.

Swap this:

“You’ll be on anticoagulation therapy to reduce thromboembolic risk.”

For this:

“This medicine keeps your blood from clotting too much so you’re less likely to have a stroke or clot.”

Then use teach-back, not as a test, but as a safety check:

• “I just shared a lot of information. How would you explain your new medicine to a family member?”

• “Before I go, can you walk me through what you’ll do if your symptoms get worse?”

Patient trust has powerful consequences. One recent analysis found that patients with high trust in their healthcare providers were about 2.6 times more likely to adhere to treatment plans. When patients understand and trust you, they’re more likely to actually do what you’ve worked so hard to teach them.

4. Be Honest, Especially When You Don’t Know

Patients can tell when something is being sugar-coated. Ironically, trying too hard to “keep it positive” can erode trust.

Instead:

• Admit uncertainty: “I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to find out and come back to you.”

• Set realistic expectations: “I can’t promise the pain will be gone, but we have several options to make you more comfortable.”

• Follow through on small promises: “I’ll be back in 10 minutes with your medication” – and then actually return.

5. Protect Trust During Handoffs and Busy Moments

Trust can be built in one interaction and damaged in the next if communication falls apart during handoffs, shift changes, or rapid events.

To protect trust in those high-risk moments:

• Use a structured handoff tool (such as SBAR/ISBAR) to ensure important details don’t get lost.

• Involve the patient when possible: “I’m going to update your night nurse now so we’re all on the same page.”

• Summarize the plan out loud before you walk out: “Here’s what will happen over the next few hours…”

6. Use Every Tool You Have to Make Time for Talking

The biggest barrier to good communication for most nurses isn’t skill – it’s time.

Documentation, medication passes, phone calls, and constant interruptions eat up minutes that could be spent building trust.

Where you can, leverage tools and workflows that:

• Reduce duplicate charting and after-hours documentation

• Streamline communication with the team (secure messaging, standardized templates)

• Support language access with interpreters or translation services

7. A Quick Trust-Building Checklist for Your Next Shift

When you walk into your next room, try focusing on just a few core behaviors:

• Connect quickly: Name, role, eye contact, one sentence about what you’re there to do.

• Listen deeply: Ask, then pause. Let the patient finish. Reflect back on what you heard.

• Explain clearly: Use plain language and teach-back for every important instruction.

• Follow through: Do what you say you’ll do, even for “small” things.

• Include the patient: Summarize the plan and invite questions before you leave.

Conclusion

You can’t control staffing ratios, policies, or the unit's layout. But you can control how you show up in those first few minutes with each patient. In a world where healthcare trust has declined in many settings, the nurse at the bedside is often the person who can restore it, one transparent, honest, compassionate conversation at a time.

Interested in Learning More? Check Out These Resources

1. Nurturing Trust in the Nurse-Patient Relationship

2. Patient Communication: Practical Strategies for Better Interactions

3. Understanding and Improving Trust Across the Health Care Ecosystem