Bad news Flashcards
Your neighbour has gone on holiday for the summer and left her dog with you to take care of until he returns. You accidentally leave the door open and realise you have lost the dog after searching for it. Your friend has now returned from holiday and has come to your house to collect her dog. Break the bad news to her.
- Greet them, make sure they are comfortable. Build rapport- Ask how their holiday was
- Let them know I have some bad news to tell them. Important so that they are prepared and news is softened.
- Break news in plain and simple language -Speak calmly and clearly to make sure they understand and prevent confusion. Adapt to them- if they interrupt let them, if they want you to hurry then do so.
- Accept and take full responsibility for actions
- Stay silent whilst neighbour processes the information.
- They may react in various ways, important to stay calm and patient with them. Remain empathetic and understanding of their situation. Use phrases like (I’m very sorry, this must be difficult for you to hear).
- When calmed down, offer them an appropriate solution.- Suggest printing posters, handing out leaflets to search for dog.
Overall when breaking bad news it is important to be honest and take full responsibility for your own mistakes. Important for doctors to be honest with patients about any mistakes they have made to maintain trust and ensure best patient outcome. It is also part of the GMC regulations to act with integrity.
Breaking bad news acronym
SPIKES (Setting, perspective, invitation, knowledge, emotion, summary/support)
- S: privacy + comfortable
- P: Adapt your communication style to their understanding- to prevent assumptions being made
I: Use a warning shot - important to prepare for bad news
K: Break news in plain and simple language in comprehendible chunks.
Apologise once and take full responsibility
E: Empathetic and silence- allows individual to digest the information and register the severity of the situation/news. May react in various ways, try not to make situation worse, stay calm and composed. Use phrases like (I’m very sorry, this must be difficult for you to hear)
S: Offer an appropriate solution- try to involve individual as much as possible
Why is it important to be able to break bad news as a doctor?
When doctors break bad news, patient usually knows whats happening, they would have had scans and been told that there is a possibility of certain things, you tell them bring a family member with them, there is a special nurse for this in this situation, and you gradually break the news
It is really important for doctors to be able to break bad news in an empathetic way. This can help build a rapport between patient and doctor- easier for patient to open up and discuss their concerns with somebody who they feel is understanding what they’re going through. Leading to better care being provided.
This would also mean upholding NHS core values of which compassion is one of.
There’s a flight cancellation and I’ve forgotten to contact one person. She has turned up and wants to travel by tomorrow morning at the latest and all other flights are booked and nothings available for a few days
- I would take passenger to a quiet and private area and let them take a seat and be comfortable
- Let them know I have some bad news
- Explain what happened in plain and simple language making sure that they understand me by speaking clearly. Take full responsibility
- Remain silent and give them a moment to process the information
- If they get angry, remain calm and composed, offer tissues if they get upset and remain empathetic with them by appreciating what they are going through.
- Offer some solutions- Suggest to talk to your manager about offering compensation for alternative transport or accommodation. Explore the passengers views on these.
Stained a customers dress, break the news
- Greet the customer, take to a quiet space, let them take a seat and get comfortable
- Let them know I have some bad news to tell them - to help ease them into the news so its not sudden
- Explain what happened in plain and simple language making sure that they understand me by speaking clearly. I would be completely honest and take full responsibility for my actions.
- Give them a moment - important to remain silent so that the customer can process the information and realise what has happened
- Remain empathetic- may be valuable clothing to them, so appreciate what they are going through
- Keep calm and patient if they get angry and upset, acknowledging their thoughts.
- Offer solutions- could be repairable suggest to ask tailor, offer full refund (if manager)
You ruined someone’s suit/dress and he/she needed it that day- handle the situation
Double booked a restaurant: a woman comes in early before her guests and it’s her parents anniversary and the table is already gone
- I would take passenger to a quiet and private area and let them take a seat and be comfortable
- Let them know I have some bad news, to help them ease into the situation so its not sudden
- Explain what happened in plain and simple language making sure that they understand me by speaking clearly. I would be completely honest and take full responsibility for my actions.
- Remain silent and give them a moment to process the information
- If they get angry, remain calm and composed, offer tissues if they get upset and remain empathetic with them by appreciating what they are going through.
- Offer some solutions- Suggest to talk to your manager about fitting extra tables in if there is space, or offering compensation and a full refund. Explore the passengers views on these.
Break bad news to a patient who was training for the Olympics and damaged their knee to the extent where they won’t be able to run at that level again but their dad is really pushy and wants them to compete and so the patient is worried
