Reflections on giving bad news

Abstract

Death in the emergency department (ED) is fairly common. Giving bad news can be difficult, but it is a skill that is vitally important for the emergency physician. In the past it may have been difficult to find good resources on the subject, but now there are many reviews and guidelines; the SPIKES and GRIEVING protocols are two such guidelines. Furthermore, giving bad news is now taught in medical school and residency. This reflection is about giving the news of the death of a family member over the telephone. Little literature addresses giving bad news over the telephone. © 2012 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.