This document discusses how to effectively deliver bad news to patients. It notes that bad news includes diagnoses of serious illnesses, discussing prognoses, do-not-resuscitate orders, death pronouncements, and organ donation talks. Doctors are worried about damaging their reputation, facing questions from relatives, and dealing with legal and compensation issues when delivering bad news. The document recommends following the K端bler-Ross model of how people process bad news, which involves denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It emphasizes that breaking bad news requires a tactful approach and is a sensitive task that benefits from practice and guidelines.
2. What is BAD news??
...any news that drastically and negatively alters
the patients view of future....
3. What are we worried about??
Damage of reputation
Facing questions of relatives
Fear of mob violence
Handling police enquiry
Medicolegal issues (court,case, arrest.)
Compensation amount
4. ....In clinical practice
Initial diagnosis of a serious life limiting / chronic life altering
illness
Giving prognosis in a serious life limiting illness
DNR discussions
Death pronouncement
Organ donation discussions
.......Very few examples...
8. CONCLUSION
Breaking bad news is a complex and sensitive
task which requires practice and a considered,
tactful approach.
A BAD NEWS CANNOT BE CONVERTED TO
GOOD NEWS
