End of Life Resources

Return to EOL >> Delivering bad news

Welcome to the End-of-Life Resources page; a library of information meant to assist physicians, caregivers, and patients find the information they need to better carry out end-of-life care.  Can't find what you're looking for?  Check back in soon becuse we are adding resources daily to continue populating the end-of-life resource categories. 

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# 004 Death Pronouncement in the Hospital, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Background:   Physicians traditionally have little formal training in examining patients to determine death, notifying...
# 006 Delivering Bad News-Part 1, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Case Scenario:  You are caring for a previously healthy 52 year old man with a new problem of abdominal pain. After...
# 011 Delivering Bad News-Part 2, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
  Case Scenario:  You are caring for a previously healthy 52 year old man with a one-month of abdominal pain and...
# 021 Hope and Truth Telling, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
This Fast Fact discusses the difficult balance between maintaining hope and truth telling, especially as it applies to...
# 029 Responding to Patient Emotion, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Introduction:  Listening to, recognizing, and responding to patient emotions is an essential skill for physicians who...
# 030 Prognostication, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Intro:  Physicians tend to be overly optimistic when dealing with prognosis. A study by Christakis illustrates this...
# 076 Telephone Notification of Death - Part 1, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Background:  Telephone notification to family members about a death is one of the most challenging and stressful...
# 077 Telephone Notification of Death - Part 2, 2nd ed Medical College of Wisconsin (EPERC)
Introduction:  In Part I (Fast Fact # 76), the basic steps and precautions of telephone notication of death were...
A communication approach for oncologists: understanding patient coping, communicating about bad news, palliative care and hospice Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN
This abstract from the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network talks about the importance of communication...
Are We Training Our Fellows Adequately in Delivering Bad News to Patients? A Survey of Hematology/Oncology Program Directors. Journal of Palliative Medicine
Abstract:  Medical oncologists often must deliver bad news. The authors were interested in the extent of formal...
Breaking Bad News: Use of Cancer Survivors in Role-Playing Exercises. Journal of Palliative Medicine
Abstract:  Purpose: To teach medical students how to deliver a diagnosis of cancer using role-play with a cancer...
Communication strategies and cultural issues in the delivery of bad news. Journal of Palliative Medicine
Abstract:  Good communication is a fundamental skill for all palliative care clinicians. Patients present with varied...
StoryCorps Audio Podcast: Andrea St. John remembers her fiance.
In this audio podcast from StoryCorps, Andrea St. John remembers being with her fiance when he found out his cancer had...
StoryCorps Audio Podcast: Danielle and Gabrielle Hall remember their mother Martha, who died of breast cancer in 2003.
This is a nice story of two daughters remembering one of their last meals with their mother.  It is a wonderful example...
StoryCorps Audio Podcast: Sarafina Viviano asks her mother, Dana, about her work as a cancer nurse.
This is an audio podcast from StoryCorps,  a non-profit organization devoted to honoring one another's lives through...
Video: Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP and Geoffery P. Dunn, MD, FACS "How to Have the Hard Conversation" Cunniff-Dixon Foundation 2009 Symposium
This video is a short segment taken from the Cunniff-Dixon Foundation 2009 Symposium on the 'Art of Medicine at the End of...