Module 5: Breaking Bad News – C2I
Module 5: Breaking Bad News
“Breaking bad news isn’t easy for the doctor or the patient, but being a supportive bearer of bad news is one of most important aspects of a doctor’s function.” — Dr. Robert Buckman
Module 5 explores the very difficult task of Breaking Bad News in the North American healthcare system. This module emphasizes the importance of developing strategies and techniques to communicate bad news to patients using common models used by physicians in the healthcare system. Through an exploration of situations where breaking bad news is required, this module assists in overcoming the barriers to breaking bad news to ensure that participants possess the skills and techniques to deliver bad news appropriately and in a manner that will enhance physician-patient relationships.
Enhance your medical interview skills by learning to express sympathy and support
Examine barriers to breaking bad news
Become familiar with specific strategies and techniques for helping you break bad news to patients in a North American context
Learn to explore patient’s beliefs, reactions, and feelings in order to understand how these may impact the management plan
Learn how to establish roles and responsibilities for working with terminally ill patients
Recognize the importance of negotiating a mutually acceptable plan with the patient
Increase your knowledge of communicative strategies to assist you in an emotionally charged interview
Learn how to involve the patient and the patient’s family member(s) and develop rapport with both
Learn how to offer suggestions and choices rather than directives
Master the art of providing the correct amount and type of information
M5 – March 2020
M5 – August / September 2017
“This is one of my best modules so far, because a lot of the materials weren’t taught in medical school.”
-- 2013 MCAP Online Pilot Participant
“Its an innovative module for breaking bad news. I am so lucky that I have learnt so much from this module.”
“This module helped me a lot in increasing my understanding regarding breaking bad news in the Canadian context.”