Healthcare providers will potentially deliver bad news to patients many times throughout their careers. Disclosing bad news is inherently negative and can contribute to stress and anxiety. When practitioners are uncomfortable giving bad news, they may avoid discussing distressing information or convey unwarranted optimism. Having a strategy to increase confidence during this patient interaction, has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety and burnout.

The six-step SPIKES framework for communication with the patient will help determine a patient's values, level of participation in decision-making, and provide a plan for addressing the emotions and reactions when bad news is conveyed. A pneumonic like SPIKES breaks down the process of disclosing unfavorable clinical information to patients.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical pharmacists, and social workers.

Learning Objectives

When you complete this module, you will be able to:

Define "bad news" and how it relates to clinical outcomes;
Identify barriers and strategies to disclosing “bad news”; and
Apply the six-step protocol of disclosing information that adversely affects a patients' perception of their future and quality of life.

Funding

This project is supported by grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1QHP28735. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Health Resources and Services Administration or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No commercial support was received for this activity.

Course summary

Available credit:

0.75 ACPE Pharmacy
0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
0.75 ANCC
0.75 AOA Category 2-B
0.75 ASWB Credit
0.75 HSC Participation

Course opens:

09/25/2024

Course expires:

09/26/2026

Cost:

$0.00

Rating:

Disclosures

In accordance with the appropriate accrediting bodies, all planners, teachers, and authors with control over activity content are required to disclose to the provider any relevant financial relationships (those held by the person, currently or within the last 24 months) with ineligible interests. Accredited providers are required to provide this information to learners before the start of an activity. The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Division of Academic Innovation's office planning team nor the subject matter experts have anything to disclose.

Authorship of 2024 Module Edition

Ryan Choudhury, MD
Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Kate Taylor, DNP, FNP-C
Assistant Dean for Clinical Outreach Affairs, HSC College of Nursing, Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Estelle Harris-Neufville, LCSW
Instructor, HSC Health and University of North Texas Health Science Center, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics

Primary Authorship of Original Module

Valerie Agena, DO, FACOI, FACP, CHCQCM-PHYADV, SWHR Value-Based Care Medical Director, CMO Care N’ Care Health Plan

Instructional Design

Brenda Wilson, MS, CHCP
Senior Instructional Designer
CE & Assessment Department, Division of Academic Innovation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Peer Reviewer(s)