Lab Module: Teaching Skills in Delivering Difficult News to Patients

Abstract

Abstract This module provides the materials necessary to facilitate experiential training for medical students and residents in delivering difficult news to patients. Learners are given the opportunity to practice, receive feedback, and observe others as they deliver difficult news to simulated patients. During a 90-minute session, learners are given the opportunity to give bad news to a simulated patient and observe four other students giving bad news via a video camera and monitor. This allows learners to observe and discuss a variety of approaches to giving bad news, as well as observe different emotional responses (e.g., anger, shock, despair, denial, guilt) to difficult medical news from patients. Cases were written to apply to a general medical learner audience and require minimal in-depth medical knowledge on the learner's part. This allows learners to focus on the communication process without worrying about content. Faculty members facilitate discussion around the issues raised by each case and the common communication skills that crosscut all the scenarios. Implementation of the module requires recruitment and training of simulated patients and faculty facilitators. An introductory lecture provides general information to students about the skills necessary to effectively perform this task. Time management by facilitators is essential to allow enough time to get through all the cases and discussion. Facilitators should also be prepared for emotional responses from students.

Keywords

• Truth Disclosure
• Telling Bad News