Communication of bad news from the perspective of oncologists and palliative care physicians

Abstract

Introduction: Communication is essential to medical practice; however, it is constantly performed inadequately, mainly in the context of communicating bad news. The bad news is that it causes a negative change in the patient’s life, resulting in an unpleasant change and modifying his future perspective. In Western medicine, due to the predominance of the curative model, bad news is understood as failure or incapacity of professional competences, causing physicians to distance themselves and causing patient dissatisfaction. Given these circumstances, the SPIKES, P-A-C-I-E-N-T-E, and Class communication protocols emerged. Objective: To evaluate the dynamics of bad news, with respect to the use of specific protocols and the main difficulties experienced, as well as to identify the influence of communication on the doctor-patient relationship. Method: This is a descriptive study with a qualitative methodology, using a semi-structured interview script prepared by the authors. Twelve interviews were carried out with physicians from the Oncology and Palliative Care sectors of the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP), which were recorded and transcribed for further analysis. The data was categorized according to Minayo’s proposal. Results: The approach to bad news was very similar among professionals, regardless of the use of communication protocols, with SPIKES being the best known among them. The study revealed that the main difficulties faced by physicians when communicating bad news are related to the environment and time of consultation, high patient demand, doctor-patient-family bond and the medical feeling of not meeting expectations or being frustrated by the experienced situation. A clear influence of communication on the doctor-patient relationship was also identified. The need to update the curriculum of medical schools, including theoretical-practical training in communicating bad news, was also verified. Conclusion: The use of bad news communication protocols is not presented as an essential condition for effective communication; however, it allows greater assertiveness and clarity during the conversation. Therefore, the implementation of communication strategies in the health context is suggested, allowing improvements for both professionals and patients.