Breaking Bad News

Chapter 4: Breaking Bad News

Overview:

• Defines ‘bad news’
• Explains how nurses can break the bad news to their patient and family members
• Provides an easy-to-read table on how to respond to reactions to the bad news
• Lists and explains ways to help lessen the impact of the bad news
• Describes the patients varied responses and how nurses can also deal with their own feelings about bad news

Description:

This chapter highlights some of the concerns of nurses dealing with the sensitive area of breaking bad news. Suggestions are provided as to the process that might be followed, yet to use skills as nurses to determine what is most appropriate in any given situation is also encouraged.

Topics:

• What is bad news and how do nurses know when they are communicating it?
• A process
• The impact of bad news
• Prior information
  • The demeanor of the communicator
  • The physical environment
  • The words used
  • The time taken to convey the information
  • Barriers in communication
• Reactions to bad news
• Caring for ourselves
• References

Speaker / Author:

Gordon Poulton
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing Cancer/Palliative Care Nursing, Certificate in Cancer Nursing, Registered Nurse, Member of the Royal College of Nursing, Australia, Nurse Educator, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

Gordon began his nursing career in 1979, and has worked predominantly in oncology since commencing employment at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in 1980 as a State Enrolled Nurse. After completing his General Nursing Training at Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne in 1985, Gordon returned to the Cancer Institute where he has been involved in a variety of cancer care areas. Following the completion of a Certificate in Cancer Nursing at the Institute in 1988, Gordon worked for six years as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in the chemotherapy unit. During this time he was given the responsibility of coordinating the pilot Hospital in the Home program and participating in both the clinical and academic aspects of chemotherapy nurse education.

Gordon has presented at numerous forums at local, National and International levels on topics ranging from nutrition in immuno-compromised persons to informed consent in people undergoing clinical trials. He is a past convenor of the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) Nurses Group and deputy convenor of the VAC Support Group. At present he is completing a Master of Health Science in Cancer Nursing at Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne.

Professional Reviews: