Sharing Serious News

Delivering bad news to a patient and/or family is one of the hardest things you do as a clinician working in palliative care. Research shows your personal communication skills can have a profound impact on patient decision-making, satisfaction, and even outcomes.

This course will equip you for those hard conversations with clear and effective strategies that improve communication, encourage empathy, and reduce stress for patients, families, and the palliative care team.

• Utilize the six-step SPIKES model for sharing serious news
• Describe three elements of preparing the setting to share serious news
• Describe two opportunities for showing empathy
• Demonstrate two communication tools for sharing serious news with patients

2 continuing education (CE) credits provided through California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) Extended Learning, accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

The Doctors Company designates this activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1.0 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The Doctors Company and California State University Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care. The Doctors Company is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians, PAs, advanced practice nurses, and nurse practitioners working with seriously ill patients in any practice setting

To complete this course and obtain a certificate, you must view the course in its entirety, correctly answer all case studies and quiz/test questions (as appropriate) and complete the evaluation. No refunds are given for self-paced courses. You will have 90 days to access this course from the date of purchase.