Nurses are being judged on their level of competence by most of their patients at the first nurse-patient encounter. Unfairly or not, the nurse's effectiveness in delivering care is determined by the way he or she presents to those in their charge. The purpose of the article is to alert nurses to the impact of the introductory phase of that nurse-patient relationship. Body language and voice tone prove to be strong indicators of how that relationship will evolve. The author speaks from the personal perspective of a seasoned nurse and patient.