DESAFIOS E FACILITADORES DA COMUNICAÇÃO DE MÁS NOTÍCIAS NA PRÁTICA MÉDICA

Communicative skills are essential for proper interaction between physicians, users, family members, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. Delivering bad news poses specific challenges as it tends to generate anxiety and fears. This descriptive study aimed to investigate the processes of communicating bad news in medical practice according to the perceptions and experiences of doctors from different specialties. 30 doctors working in public and private hospitals in the state of Rio de Janeiro participated, who responded to a self-administered questionnaire. 56.6% of physicians practiced in the Emergency Department. Descriptive statistical analyzes showed that the most commonly communicated bad news were adult deaths, diagnoses of serious illnesses and unfavorable test results. The most feared news was the death of children/adolescents. The main difficulties highlighted in this type of communication were the limited time available and aspects related to the patient/family, especially lack of prior information and negative emotional reactions. The biggest personal challenges were discussing end-of-life issues and dealing with impotence. The strategies seen as facilitators were being empathetic and welcoming and receiving training. Most respondents stated that they did not discuss or plan the process of delivering bad news within their work teams and did not follow protocols for this purpose. Understanding doctors' difficulties when faced with the demands and complexity of communicating difficult news can support professional training courses and mitigate the negative impacts of information that is part of the hospital routine.