I have a question for the intelligent folks on this board.
I often have to break bad news to a patient. We are not really "trained" for this in medical school, and most doctors develop their own style after watching several of their preceptors during residency training.
For those that have had bad health news delivered to them, or can imagine having the news broken to them, how do you think you would prefer to hear it? One approach, often favoured, is to close the door, sit down, look the patient in the eye, and slowly go through the sequence of events that led to the diagnosis/inability to treat the deadly or painful condition. Then that is usually followed by "I have some bad news", and then you break the bad news and give the basic outcome which is usually certain death, or sometimes permanent disability/pain. Then the doctor allows for any questions.
The breaking-the-news-slowly technique can go on for 5 minutes before I get to the crux of the matter, and I've often wondered if it might not be better to break such news more quickly. For example: "Good morning Mrs Jones. I am sorry to say that I couldn't get all the cancer out. There is nothing more I can do. I'm sorry this has happened to you." After which I could ask the patient if they had any questions.
Any opinions on what you would prefer or things you would like to hear in such a situation?
I often have to break bad news to a patient. We are not really "trained" for this in medical school, and most doctors develop their own style after watching several of their preceptors during residency training.
For those that have had bad health news delivered to them, or can imagine having the news broken to them, how do you think you would prefer to hear it? One approach, often favoured, is to close the door, sit down, look the patient in the eye, and slowly go through the sequence of events that led to the diagnosis/inability to treat the deadly or painful condition. Then that is usually followed by "I have some bad news", and then you break the bad news and give the basic outcome which is usually certain death, or sometimes permanent disability/pain. Then the doctor allows for any questions.
The breaking-the-news-slowly technique can go on for 5 minutes before I get to the crux of the matter, and I've often wondered if it might not be better to break such news more quickly. For example: "Good morning Mrs Jones. I am sorry to say that I couldn't get all the cancer out. There is nothing more I can do. I'm sorry this has happened to you." After which I could ask the patient if they had any questions.
Any opinions on what you would prefer or things you would like to hear in such a situation?