Bedside manner

Bedside manner

Bedside manner is a term describing how a healthcare professional handles a patient. A good bedside manner is typically one that reassures and comforts the patient. Vocal tones, body language, openness, presence, and concealment of attitude may all affect bedside manner. Poor bedside manner leaves the patient feeling unsatisfied, worried, alone, or frightened. Bedside manner becomes difficult when a healthcare professional explains to the patient the true diagnosis, while keeping the patient from being alarmed.

Examples in the media

* Dr. Gregory House (of the show House) has a caustic, callous bedside manner. However, this is an extension of his normal personality.

* In Grey's Anatomy, Dr. Burke compliments Dr. George O'Malley on his bedside manner after seeing him taking care of a patient's baby.

* Doc Martin from the TV series of the same name is a good example of a doctor with a poor bedside manner.

* In Lost, Hurley tells Jack Shephard that his bedside manner "sucks". Later in the episode, Jack is told by his father to put more hope into his sayings, which he does when operating on his future wife.

* In Closer, Larry, the doctor tells Anna when they first meet that he is famed for his bedside manner.

* In Donald Trump's 2008 celebrity apprentice final, Ivanka tells Piers that he did not have a good bedside manner.

* In Scrubs, J.D is a good example of a doctor with great bedside manner, while Elliot Reid is a doctor with poor or non-existent bedside manner.

* In , the Doctor often compliments himself on the charming bedside manner he developed with the help of Kes.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bedside manner — n the manner that a physician assumes toward patients …   Medical dictionary

  • bedside manner — ► NOUN ▪ the manner in which a doctor attends a patient …   English terms dictionary

  • bedside manner — n [singular] the way that a doctor talks to the people that he or she is treating …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bedside manner — noun singular the way in which a doctor behaves toward a person in their care …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bedside manner — noun manner or conduct of a physician in the presence of a patient • Hypernyms: ↑manner, ↑personal manner * * * noun : the manner often solicitous and sympathetic that a physician assumes toward his patients * * * the attitude, approach, and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • bedside manner — the attitude, approach, and deportment of a doctor with patients: He has a reassuring bedside manner. [1865 70] * * * …   Universalium

  • bedside manner — N SING A doctor s bedside manner is the way in which they talk to their patients …   English dictionary

  • bedside manner — noun (singular) a doctor s bedside manner is the way that they talk to the people that they are treating …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bedside manner — a doctor s approach or attitude to a patient. → bedside …   English new terms dictionary

  • bedside manner — noun Date: 1869 the manner that a physician assumes toward patients …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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