Breaking news is always difficult, but especially when it involves a serious health issue, or death. It’s not always easy to determine how someone is feeling or what their reaction will be, and there are many things that can go wrong in the process.
The first thing that NPs must do is to assess how they themselves feel about the news that they are about to deliver. They also need to be sure that they are the right person to deliver it. Depending on the nature of the information, it may be more suitable for another member of their team to do so.
It is usually better to deliver such news in person, but this can be difficult if there are time constraints. It is also important to be factual and not to sugar coat or make light of the situation. This can backfire, as people will remember how they were told the news.
It is also vital to be able to answer any questions that the person will have about the situation, such as what is likely to happen next or the prognosis for recovery. It is often helpful to write these answers down in advance, so that they can be easily read from a script when it comes to the actual delivery of the news. NPs should also be aware of any denial behaviors that the patient might use, and avoid shattering these strategies. There is a common protocol called the SPIKES protocol8-10 that can help NPs structure the way they communicate such difficult information.
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