“There was a mistake in the schedule and you were assigned a patient who didn’t like to be cared for by black people,” discusses author and Family Nurse Practitioner, Nonye Aghanya MSc,RN, FNP-C about the first time she encountered racism when immigrating to America from Nigeria. “I didn’t understand the whole concept of racism coming from Nigeria because I was elated to come to America and care for patients. It saddens me that she had her reservations, but she never gave me a chance to get to know her and help her overcome her reservations about being cared for by black people. The idea that the unit accommodated that made me sadder because it denied her the opportunity to grow as a human being.” Nonye Aghanya did not let this interaction get her down, rather, she viewed it as growing opportunity. In this episode, Nonye discusses her life in Nigeria, coming to America and becoming a nurse, rising through the ranks to become a practice owner. She then shares how a dermoid surgery and her own patient experience inspired her to write, Simple Tips to Developing a Productive Clinician-Patient Relationship. All this and more on the Patient Activation Network Podcast About Nonye Aghanya MSc,RN, FNP-C Nonye Aghanya obtained a Master of Science degree as a family nurse practitioner from Pace University, New York, and has worked in various outpatient/inpatient/homecare health settings. For six years, she co-owned and operated a private medical clinic and currently works in a retail clinic setting. A born again Christian, she practices with the Godly principles of genuine compassion and grace and the knowledge that a productive clinician-patient relationship is more effectively realized when these principles are implemented. Born in Nigeria, she is married, has four daughters, and resides with her family in Alexandria, Virginia. “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding”  Job 32:8 About Simple Tips to Developing a Productive Clinician-Patient Relationship Do you sometimes feel anxious about an upcoming doctor’s appointment, wondering, “What should I say? How should I act?” Could this make you become either “The overwhelmed patient? The angry patient? The suspicious patient? or The talkative patient?” If you are a clinician, you may wonder, “Who is this new patient? Will the patient be receptive to clinical suggestions? Will the patient be accepting or judgmental?” This guidebook highlights several patient personalities and the effects of such personalities on the formation of productive clinician-patient relationships. It provides both patients and clinicians with the needed tools for effective communication that result in meaningful and rewarding clinician-patient relationships. This helpful text is based upon the author’s clinical experiences in diverse health care settings and interactions with patients and other clinicians during the past twenty-five years Episode Detail * About Nonye Aghanya MSc,RN, FNP-C * Working in America as an Immigrant Nurse * Overcoming reservations as both a nurse and a patient * Transitioning from a Nurse to a Surgical Patient * How Anxiety Manifests as Attitude in Care * The Role Faith Plays in Recovery * Motivation for writing, Simple Tips to Developing a Productive Clinician-Patient Relationship * How these Simple Tips improve trust in the clinician-patient relationship * Why Patients Communicate Differently with Nursing Assistants, RNs and Nursing Practitioners * The Power of Self-Reflection * Strategies for Improving Trust in the Patient-Clinician Relationship * The Suspicious Patient – Encountering and Overcoming Racism * Closing thoughts