Hi, it's Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM , where we instantly improve the lives of Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care, so that you can have PEACE OF MIND, real power, real control and so that you can influence decision making fast, even if you're not a doctor or a nurse in Intensive Care!

In last week's blog I've shown you "The four deadly sins that Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care constantly make, but they are unaware of!" You can read, watch or listen to last week's update by clicking on the link here!

In this week's BLOG I've got a special treat for you, pay close attention because I want to share with you

Why YOUR BODY LANGUAGE may be your BIGGEST OBSTACLE to PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care

If your loved one has been admitted to Intensive Care for critical illness, I bet that you and your Family feel like you are out of your comfort zone and you and your Family feel frustrated, anxious, scared, stressed, vulnerable, challenged and you have no PEACE OF MIND, no control, no power and no influence!

It's not a good situation to be in and you feel like your worst nightmares have become a reality and you feel like the world is tumbling down on you...

Worst of all, you feel very tense, you don't know what to do, how to react or how not to react.

After more than 15 years Intensive Care nursing in three different countries I have seen and worked with thousands of critically ill Patients and their Families in Intensive Care.

Your body language speaks louder than your words

After all those years whilst working in Intensive Care  as an Intensive Care nurse, not only have I seen that Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care have no PEACE OF MIND, they have no control, they have no power and they have no influence in this challenging situation. I have also seen that as soon as they enter Intensive Care their body language speaks louder than their words.

Communication with your body language is far more important than with words

Some research suggests that only 7% of our communication is with our words and more than 65% of our communication is through our body language. Therefore your body language is much more important than the words you are using!

I also bet that your body language screams loudly of your insecurity, it screams that you have no power, no control and no influence, let alone PEACE OF MIND.

Body language is far more powerful than you think it is and generally speaking, Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care have very poor body language when they come to Intensive Care.

I bet that as soon as you have entered the Intensive Care Unit your body language is along the lines of

• You have poor body posture with slumped shoulders and a hunched back
• Your gaze is lowered and you avoid strong eye contact
• Your hand shake is weak because you are intimidated by the perceived power of the Intensive Care team
• Your arms are crossed and your body is closed and tense
• Your whole body language screams of insecurity
• You are shrinking back from others("don't hurt me")

Now, these features of poor body language and posture usually go hand in hand in situations where we feel threatened, insecure and out of our comfort zone.

This is how other people see you and perceive you and you need to change it

That's normal and it is what it is. However, in a situation where your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care, you and your Family need to be aware that this is how other people including the Intensive Care team will see you. Also be aware that this is how your critically ill loved one is seeing you if they are conscious.

Do you think that the Intensive Care team perceives you as influential, powerful and in control if they see you with your shoulders slumped, with your back hunched, with a weak hand shake, with you avoiding strong eye contact and with your arms crossed?

Do you think that if your body language screams that you are insecure and that you are consciously and unconsciously intimidated by the Intensive Care team's perceived power, that the Intensive Care team won't pick up on it?

Never let your insecurities and your poor body language hold you back from PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence

Do you think that if your critically ill loved one is in one of the following situations such as

•  very unstable and in a very critical condition
• in a life threatening situation
• in Intensive Care for long-term treatments and long-term stays
• approaching their end of life in Intensive Care

that poor body language will hold you back from PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence?

Do you think that if your critically ill loved one is in one of those situations that it's important that you do have PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence?

Do you think that if the Intensive Care team is having all the decision making power and authority in those situations that it's easy for them to drive their agenda and not yours and/or your critically ill loved one's agenda?

It's not your fault and it's human nature

Listen, I know how you feel and I also know it's not your fault! It's just human nature that we display poor body language when we are stressed, challenged and out of our comfort zone! It's normal and there is very little you can do as a starting point!

However, now that you are aware that it's happening and now that you are aware that it's a mistake, now is the time to change it.

I vividly remember that when I first started working in Intensive Care I had poor body language, because I certainly was intimidated by all those "smart" people around me. It wasn't until I realized that I needed to change my body language that things would change for me too!

By displaying good and powerful body language, by putting out your shoulders, by straightening your back, by making and maintaining strong eye contact, by having a strong handshake and by uncrossing your arms and displaying open body language you are sending strong signals to the outside world and most of all to the Intensive Care team and to your critically ill loved one!

You are sending strong signals to the Intensive Care team and you are showing determination

When you do that you show to the outside world that you can deal with whatever this situation is throwing at you, at your Family and at your critically ill loved one.

It's also a strong sign for the Intensive Care that you are willing to deal with this challenge and it's also a strong sign that you are determined to have control, power, influence and PEACE OF MIND!

You might say, Patrik, you can do that because you've been in the environment for so long and you know what to do, whereas I'm new to this environment and I don't know whether I can do it...

If I can do it, you can do it too!

Listen, I hear what you are saying, but the reality is that if I can do it, you can do it too!

I certainly don't have any superpowers or any other special skills! If I can do it, you can do it too, because I'm just a regular guy!

Your job is to be aware and to recognize that your body language when you first come to Intensive Care sucks and then change it, because if you do, I'll bet that the Intensive Care team will notice and your critically ill loved one will notice, even if they are unconscious.

If you display strong body language that is confident, determined that puts you on alert, I bet that the world around you will take notice and it will leverage your level of PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence!

I also bet that the Intensive Care team will treat you differently, because they realize that you are willing to deal with this often "once in a lifetime" challenge! And because it often is a "once in a lifetime" challenge you and your Family don't want to get it wrong!

http://intensivecarehotline.com/body-language-may-biggest-obstacle-peace-mind-control-power-influence-whilst-loved-one-critically-ill-intensive-care/

Also, check out our "YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED" section

where I answer all of YOUR questions

http://intensivecarehotline.com/category/questions/

In this week I answer another question from one of our readers and the question this week is

My mother is in Intensive Care in a public Hospital but wants to go to a private hospital, what should we do?

Find the answer to this question here http://intensivecarehotline.com/mother-intensive-care-public-hospital-wants-go-private-hospital/

If you want your questions answered just hit reply to this email or email me at support@intensivecarehotline.com and I'll answer your questions!

Also keep an eye out for our upcoming product launch in the next couple of months! We are NOW finalizing our first product that will help Families of critically ill Patients deal with and take control of most situations in Intensive Care, even if their loved one is dying!

 The product will be an "IN-DEPTH" education product for Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care and a SHORTCUT for Families to control, power& influence! The focus of the education product will be on PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence during the following situations in Intensive Care

• long-term stays in Intensive Care 
• end- of- life situations
• Family meetings
• withdrawal of treatment situations and/or perceived medical futility
• severe head and brain injuries

 The product will be made available in Ebook, Video and Audio format so that our Customers can consume the product in their chosen medium!

 If you have any questions about our upcoming products or if you have any suggestions please let me know at support@intensivecarehotline.com

Your Friend

Patrik Hutzel

Critical Care Nurse

Founder& Editor

WWW.INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM