Communication and Customer Service terms

12 glossary entries from the Communication and Customer Service topic of the CCMA test plan. Try free Communication and Customer Service practice questions.

• active listeningGiving full attention to understand what the speaker means and responding thoughtfully.
• barrier to communicationAnything that blocks understanding, such as noise, distance, language or hearing barriers, or strong emotions like…
• closed-ended questionA question answered with yes, no or a short fact.
• cultural competenceProviding care that respects and fits patients' cultural values, beliefs and practices.
• empathyUnderstanding and sharing another person's feelings from their point of view.
• feedbackThe receiver's response to a message, which shows whether it was understood.
• nonverbal communicationCommunicating without words, through facial expression, gestures, posture, eye contact and touch.
• open-ended questionA question that invites a detailed answer in the patient's own words, such as "Tell me about your pain."
• rapportA relationship of trust and understanding between the patient and caregiver.
• SBARA structured handoff tool: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation.
• therapeutic communicationPurposeful techniques that build a helping relationship and support the patient's well-being.
• verbal communicationCommunicating with spoken or written words.