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An international global survey of doctors and medical students revealed a significant requirement for more training and education in how to communicate bad news to patients. Due to a paucity of information about the education, experience, expectations, and preferences of physicians and medical students on delivering bad news, J. Sehouli et al. set out to analyze how doctors give bad news to patients.
This survey was carried out in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany utilizing an online questionnaire. Demographic information, clinical experience, training and educational preferences of physicians and medical students were all recorded. Overall, 315 medical students, 831 doctors encompassing 23.1% internal specialists, and 25% gynecologists took part in the survey. According to physicians, 32.6% deliver bad news multiple times a month and 45.2% several times a week. Notably, 37% of the participants said they had trouble managing their emotions.
On a scale of 0 to 10, the median fear score was 3.5; among medical students, the median score was 5.2. Only 57.4% of doctors encourage patients to be accompanied by family or friends while giving bad news, with 70.4% of doctors are often alone with the patients. Only 31.2% of the doctors said they had acquired appropriate communication skills. Nearly all doctors claimed that their employee satisfaction is substantially impacted by communication with patients. Thus, education and systematic training are required in delivering bad news.
For doctors and medical students respectively, simulated patient seminars (53.3%/79.3%), systematic supervision (48.9%/40.4%), and learning from supervisors (59.7%/64.1%) were the most preferred educational techniques. In the clinical day practice, digital technologies may be useful for debriefing (38.8%) and preparing individual sessions (54.6%). The main obstacles for communication education were time constraints (10.3%), expense (35.1%), and lack of awareness (52.5%).
Physicians and medical students showed a significant requirement for more training and education in communicating bad news, one of the most difficult everyday tasks in medical practice. For filling this gap, the post-graduate training programmes, medical schools, authorities, and hospitals are considerably encouraged.
International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer
684 How to breaking bad news: an international survey among physicians and medical students in 1146 participants
J Sehouli et al.
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