Review article

Communication with seriously ill, dying patients and their families

Ivana Kukec orcid.org/0000-0003-2931-7979 ; University Hospital Centre Zagreb *

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Communication with seriously ill, dying patients and their families is essential for providing quality care, preserving patient dignity, and making informed decisions. Despite its importance, healthcare professionals often lack sufficient training for this type of communication. The so-called SPIKES protocol provides guidelines for communicating bad news in a gradual and empathetic manner. Key challenges in communication include maintaining hope while being honest, handling patients’ emotions, and time constraints. Active listening and recognizing patients’ emotions are crucial for facilitating the conversation. It is also important to take cultural differences into account and allow patients to express their fears and wishes. Providing truthful information helps reduce uncertainty and enables planning for the future, while false comfort may lead to unnecessary suffering. Effective communication ensures patients feel listened to and supported, ultimately improving the quality of their care.

Keywords

communication; seriously ill; palliative care; communicating bad news; SPIKES protocol; dying

Hrčak ID:

330284

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/330284

Publication date:

22.4.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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