Breaking bad news Free Essay Example, 3000 words

Finding out how much the patient’s capacity of accepting information – patients should have a say in the capacity or content given by the medical professional. In other words, bringing up bad news has no right answer and a way to establish the right of the patient to choose, give him/her the chance to establish the information content. Sharing the information – before talking with the patient, prepare the agendas to discuss like the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and coping. However, a right agenda only covers two of the aforementioned areas. It is not useful to discuss in a long medically termed context. It must be simple and comprehensible; hence, medical terms are translated in simple, understandable English. Responding to the patient’s feelings – understanding the patient’s reaction is important. However, this skill improves through experience, as with the enhancement of acknowledgement and identification. Planning and follow-through – all gathered information ought to have apt documentation for further planning of the patient’s situation. A step-by-step plan given to the patient will be in his/her system of healthcare (Buckman, 2007, as quoted from Back, 1999). We will write a custom essay sample on Breaking bad news or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The nurse’s decision of family care mostly depends on the NHS Plan and the Code of Professional Conduct. Communicative skills of a nurse are an important interpersonal skill in building trust in families of patients and the patient himself. To develop good skills in communication to patients in breaking bad news, one reliable tool is the Leske’s Inventory. This inventory will assess the family’s needs, which the nurse needs to prioritize in time of stressful events happening in unfamiliar environments. Leske’s inventory will work on critical intimidating care and other fields of healthcare. However, many critical care nurses lack the skill and training for better communicative skills in delivering bad news. To give a holistic care, nurses should be able to plan, implement, and evaluate the individualized family needs effectively. Hence, the care will result in autonomy when managing both the family and the patient’s empowerment occurs (Back, 1999) . Sensitivity in Delivering Bad News to Patients with Life-Limiting Illnesses Breaking bad news should be sensitive in many ways, with ample consideration of the patient’s ethnic background, gender, and social class. Patient information and the common errors for breaking bad news are presented in the following discussion. One life limiting illness where breaking bad news happens is caring for people with cancer (Moody, 2003).