Assessing the training needs regarding ‘breaking bad news’ amongst emergency medical services (EMS) professionals in Pune India

Abstract

Introduction:‘Breaking Bad News’ (BBN) in the scenario of poor prognosis or death is considered to be one of the most stressful aspects of the duties of a Healthcare professional. In the recent years, the subject of BBN has gained traction among healthcare professionals and psychologist leading to the creation of some comprehensive models to train professionals. Emergency Medical Professionals are among the likeliest to encounter BBN situations. Hence it is imperative that they be formally trained to deal with patients and their families effectively Objective: To assess the training needs regarding ‘Breaking Bad News’ (BBN); amongst Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Professionals. Methodology: The study was conducted amongst 150 Emergency Medical Professionals in Pune, India. A previously tested and validated questionnaire developed by Rasmus etal in June 2020 was utilized for the study. Questionnaire was administered to the respondents through online mode after obtaining informed consent. Responding to all questions was mandatory. The respondents were given one day to fill the questionnaire. Any queries pertaining to questionnaire were clarified during data collection. Discussion: The present study was done to assess the baseline awareness of EMS professionals about BBN and to devise a customized training program for them. Unfortunately, majority of the respondents were not even aware that BBN is a separate subject having specific procedures and protocols followed globally. The lack of training instils fear of facing such situations and adversely affects the mental health of EMS professionals. This can be corrected by utilizing tools like simulation and role play to provide adequate exposure to EMS professionals in a safe environment. Conclusion: The findings of the study point towards an emergent need of formal practical training on this crucial yet ignored aspect of the health care professionals’ duties. Comparative Studies can be conducted in the future to assess the effectiveness of this training program.