Breaking Bad News: Truth-telling About Poor Prognoses or Outcomes

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There are practice inconsistencies with respect to truthful prognostication and "breaking bad news" in the patient care setting. This module addresses some of these issues.

Target Audience

Healthcare providers and trainees

Learning Objectives

After this session, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the Ethical Principles involved with “bad news”
  2. Apply the truth-telling protocol known as the “SPIKES” model when breaking bad news
  3. Comprehend how to approach Goals of Care Discussions, including how to weigh the value of Clinical Trials
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    This Enduring activity is designated for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.00 ANCC (UK Healthcare CECentral)

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.00 nursing contact hour(s).

  • 1.00 ASWB

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, UK HealthCare CECentral is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UK HealthCare CECentral maintains responsibility for this course.

    Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 clinical continuing education credit(s).

  • 1.00 IPCE

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit(s) for learning and change.

  • 1.00 Participation
    UK Healthcare CECentral certifies this activity for 1.00 hour(s) of participation.
Course opens: 
08/26/2025
Course expires: 
08/25/2028
Rating: 
0

 

M. Sara Rosenthal, Ph.D., HEC-C, Professor and Founding Director, UK Program for Bioethics and the Markey Cancer Center Oncology Ethics Program

Dr. Rosenthal is Professor and Founding Director, University of Kentucky Program for Bioethics, Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Behavioral Science, and Founding Director of the Markey Cancer Center  Oncology Ethics Program. She is Chair of UK Healthcare’s Ethics Committee and directs its clinical ethics consultation service. She did all her training at the University of Toronto and completed her doctorate in sociology and bioethics at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. Dr. Rosenthal is an internationally recognized expert in bioethics, health humanities, and medical sociology with more than 25 years of experience. She is a subject matter expert in clinical ethics, research ethics, and several related subfields.  Dr. Rosenthal is the author of over 70 publications, including Clinical Ethics on Film (Springer, 2018) and Healthcare Ethics on Film (Springer 2020, 2021). She also created the internationally known Moral Distress Education Project.

In support of improving patient care, University of Kentucky HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA

This live activity is designated for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ANCC credit:

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1 nursing contact hour(s).

ASWB ACE credit:

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, UK HealthCare CECentral is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UK HealthCare CECentral maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1  general continuing education credits.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    This Enduring activity is designated for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.00 ANCC (UK Healthcare CECentral)

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.00 nursing contact hour(s).

  • 1.00 ASWB

    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, UK HealthCare CECentral is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UK HealthCare CECentral maintains responsibility for this course.

    Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 clinical continuing education credit(s).

  • 1.00 IPCE

    In support of improving patient care, UK HealthCare CECentral is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit(s) for learning and change.

  • 1.00 Participation
    UK Healthcare CECentral certifies this activity for 1.00 hour(s) of participation.
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