Concerns about Losing Control When Breaking Bad News to Terminally Ill Patients with Cancer: Physicians' Perspective
- 1 June 2006
- journal article
- Published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc in Journal of Palliative Medicine
- Vol. 9 (3), 673-682
- https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2006.9.673
Abstract
To study and explore problems perceived by physicians when breaking bad news to advanced cancer patients about discontinuing or not offering tumor-specific treatment due to incurable cancer. A qualitative phenomenographic interview study. The county of Ostergötland in Sweden. Thirty physicians with different demographic characteristics. According to the physicians' answers breaking bad news was perceived as involving a risk of losing control in different ways, regarding emotions, oneself, confidence, professionalism and patient trust. Four different main categories described as problems were identified; perceptions focusing on existential thoughts, relationships, knowledge, and perceptions related to time and environmental disturbances. Physicians perceived that breaking bad news to dying patients with cancer involved a risk of losing control. Existential thoughts and a lack of knowledge contribute to this risk. Theoretical education in existentiality/spirituality and clinical practice in a palliative context may help maintaining control.Keywords
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