Invitation to Share Information – How to Break News

00:01 So, then in SPIKES. The I is invitation.

00:05 And there may be patients that are either give me the news.

00:09 They're ready for it. Or they may want to shun the information or stay away from it.

00:16 They're very anxious about hearing it.

00:18 So again, reading the patient and making sure that they're ready to receive the information is going to be important.

00:24 At some point in your relationship with the patient, you want to find out how much information they'd like to receive, and what kind of information? There might be some patients, for instance that are a little bit hesitant about hearing news about prognosis.

00:38 So, maybe that's not something you're going to lead off with.

00:41 You're going to tell, talk to them about the what you expect from this news, this diagnosis.

00:49 But you're going to frame it in a way that you know, how much information they'd like to receive, what kind of information? So, the ways you can do that.

00:58 The ways you can make sure that you're getting the invitation is, would you like me to give you all the information? You know, some patients say yes. Some people say no.

01:07 Just give me the key points.

01:10 How would you like to give me information about the results of the prognosis? Maybe you're doing it right now in this encounter, where you're breaking the serious news, or maybe you've done it in a previous encounter in anticipation of this meeting.

01:22 Then you're going to wait for the invitation.

01:23 So, either the patient is going to specifically asked you so what did the biopsy show? You know, what is the news? Or if they don't do that, you're going to ask permission to then bring the patient up to date, and give them the news? Is it alright, if we discuss the results? Do you want me to sketch out the results or the treatment plan? Just getting some acknowledgment from them that yes, they're ready to hear it.

01:49 Also means the in the invitation that you're going to say, you know, feel free to ask questions.

01:56 Again, if you've thought that the patient wanted a family member present or friend makes sure that they're invited to also ask questions after you've conveyed the information.