Modules_02

LEARNING MODULE
2
Giving Bad News
Learning Objectives
After reading this section, participants will be able to:
1. Be able to define bad news and what makes it bad
2. Identify barriers to giving bad news to patients and family
3. Be able to list and explain the 6 steps for giving bad news.
Why This Topic?

Bad news can be defined as any information which adversely alters one’s expectations for the future. Oncologists
give bad news thousands of times during the course of a career. This stressful task is made more difficult when the
clinician has a longstanding relationship with the patient, when the patient is young, or when strong optimism
had been expressed for a successful outcome. Very few clinicians have been formally, or even informally, trained in
giving bad news. Therefore, some use communication techniques which undermine patient trust and satisfaction.
These include giving the bad news bluntly in a detached and mechanistic manner, creating false hopes through
use of excessive optimism, withholding adverse information, such as a poor prognosis from the patient, and giving
the family information but not the patient.
When bad news is communicated in an empathic manner, it can have an important impact on outcomes such as
patient satisfaction and decreased patient anxiety and depression. However, there are significant challenges to
giving bad news, including:
• giving information consistent with the patient’s prior understanding of the disease,
• discussing bad news while supporting patient hopes for a good outcome,
• addressing emotional reactions, such as crying and anger, and
• encouraging patient participation in decision-making.
Recommended Procedure
As with any medical procedure, giving bad news requires a coherent strategy in order for it to be accomplished
successfully. In this case the strategy encompasses a series of six distinct communication steps, that can be summa-
rized using the mnemonic SPIKES. > >
© Copyright 2002 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES 7

S = SETUP. Set up the situation so it has a good chance of going smoothly. Before you go into the room have a plan
in your mind. Ask yourself how difficult it will be to have the discussion. Difficult discussions might go better if you
talk to someone ahead of time or have a nurse or social worker accompany you. Turn your pager off or give it to
someone else so you are not interrupted. Sit down, make eye contact, and get reasonably close to the patient.
Anticipate that the patient will be upset and have some tissues ready.
P = PERCEPTION. Find out the patient’s perception of the medical situation. What has he been told about the
disease? What does he know about the purpose of the unfavorable test results you are about to discuss? If this is
a first contact, what has he been told about why he should see you in referral? What are his expectations of
treatment? What are his goals? Correct any misconceptions or misunderstandings the patient may have. Note any
strong denial or its mimics (e.g., avoidance of topics or excessive optimism).
I = INVITATION. Find out how much information the patient wants. These days most patients want a lot of informa-
tion but this is not universally true, especially as the disease progresses and patients may want to focus on “What
do we do next?”
K = KNOWLEDGE. Use language that matches the patient’s level of education. Be direct. Avoid using jargon as it
will confuse the patient. Give a warning that bad news is coming: “I have some serious news to tell you.” This will
allow the patient to prepare psychologically. If the patient’s perception (step 2) was inaccurate, review pertinent
information: “Now you remember we sent you for the MRI to assess how the chemo was working? Well, what we
found is that the chemo has not worked. The tumor has grown larger.” After giving this news, stay quiet for at
least 10-15 seconds-resist the urge to tell the patient how to feel. Give the patient time to absorb the information
and respond.
E = EMPATHIZE. Use empathic statements to respond to patient emotions. This will assist in patient recovery and
dampen the psychological isolation which the patient experiences when they hear the bad news. If a patient
begins to cry, wait until he is ready to talk; then remember NURSE (see Module #1), and use an empathic response
such as “This must be disappointing for you.” Resist the temptation to make things better, for example rushing
to propose a treatment which is unlikely to work. This kind of response can be a reaction to your own sense of
helplessness and perhaps of failure. Ask if the patient has questions or concerns and keep asking until he says “no.”
S = SUMMARIZE AND STRATEGIZE. Summarize the clinical information and make a plan for the next step, which may
be further testing or discussion of treatment options (see Module #3). Be as concrete as possible and check on the
patient’s understanding of what has been discussed: “Does this make sense to you?” or “Are you clear about the
next steps?”
Pearls /Ideas to Facilitate Giving Bad News

• Eliciting the patient’s concerns can help the patient feel heard and help you plan. “What concerns you most
about this news?” These concerns may range far beyond the medical decisions at hand and may represent
important concerns and barriers to treatment, e.g., “Who will take care of my children while I have the
treatments?”
• When patients ask difficult questions such as “How long do I have to live?” asking about their affect first will
give you a sense of why they are asking the question. Reassure them that you will provide the information
about prognosis so they don’t think you’re being evasive. For example, you might say, “I will answer your
question, but first let me ask, I wonder if it’s scary not knowing what to expect in the future?”
• Allow patients to audiotape the conversation about the treatment plan. Either have a tape recorder available
for them to use or let them know ahead of time so they can bring one. This can be very helpful, although one
study indicated that in the setting of cancer relapse, this increased patient anxiety.
• Be aware of your own emotions such as sadness, guilt, disappointment or shame. Discuss these with colleagues
prior to the visit to decrease the likelihood they will interfere with your encounter with the patient.
• Try and accept the fact that being empathic, interested, and affirming are powerful verbal techniques that the
patients recognize as demonstrations of your support.
• You can help your patients hope for the best while also preparing them for the worst. Acknowledging that
these two apparently conflicting emotions can co-exist gives you the opportunity to explore hopes and concerns
and signals that you are willing to discuss both.
8 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES © Copyright 2002

Pitfalls/Common Barriers to Good Communication
• Feeling you are responsible for maintaining the patient’s hope
• Ignoring your own feelings
• Making assumptions about what the patient knows and doesn’t know
• Assuming that cure is the goal of all patients
• Talking too much
REFERENCES
Included in this notebook

1. Baile WF, Buckman R, Lenzi R, Glober G, Beale EA, Kudelka AP. “SPIKES-A six-step protocol for delivering bad news: Application to the
patient with cancer.” Oncologist, 2000; 5:302-11.
2. Back AL, Curtis JR. “Communicating bad news.” West J Med, 2002; 176:1-5.
3. Anonymous. “Delivering bad news.” BMJ, 2000; 321:1233.
4. Quill TE, Townsend P. “Bad news: delivery, dialogue, and dilemmas.” Arch Intern Med, 1991; 151(3):463-8.
Additional references (not included)

1. Ptacek JT, Eberhardt TL. Breaking bad news. A review of the literature. JAMA, 1996; 276(6):496-502.
© Copyright 2002 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES 9

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LEARNING MODULE

Why This Topic?

© Copyright 2002 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES 7

Pearls /Ideas to Facilitate Giving Bad News

8 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES © Copyright 2002

Included in this notebook

Additional references (not included)

© Copyright 2002 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING LEARNING MODULES 9

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