Can communication in farm animal veterinary practice be improved through a focus on the non-verbal element? A clinical forum

Abstract

As farm veterinary surgeons, we are in the position of needing to communicate our information, ideas and feelings about animal health and welfare with our farmer clients. Studies looking at communication in the healthcare and companion animal veterinary profession show that effective communication skills help achieve a positive client/patient interaction and outcome, including satisfaction levels. Communication has three elements: verbal, non-verbal and paraverbal. Non-verbal communication conveys more effectively than the other two elements how we feel about and our attitudes towards a situation and person. Having a better understanding of non-verbal communication, as part of an overall approach to improving communication skills, could therefore help veterinary surgeons have better interactions with their farmers, leading to a more satisfying relationship for both parties. Research ongoing at the University of Nottingham and Bristol is aiming to establish a methodology to measure non-verbal parameters in the farmer-vet interaction using GoPro cameras.