1. AETCOM
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FAMILY MEMBER OF A SICK
PATIENT
By: DR SUSHMA CHOURASIA
2. Doctors deal with human sufferings throughout their
professional career.
A balanced approach to patient care requires an
understanding of support system of patients , emotions
of families and a role as a doctor.
The health care provider must know the difference
between empathy,sympathy and eqinamity and healing
,curing and support.
4. EMPATHY
It is the ability to emotionally understand what other people
feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself
in their place.
Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else’s position
and feeling what they must be feeling.
5. Action of understanding
Being aware of, being sensitive to, and experiencing the
feelings, thoughts.
Experience of another of either the past or present without
having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully
communicated in an objectively explicit manner.
6. SIGNS OF EMPATHY
• Being good at really listening to what others have to say.
• Picking up on how other people are feeling.
• Thinking about how other people feel.
• Trying to help others who are suffering and so on.
7. TYPES OF EMPATHY
Affective empathy –ability to understand other persons
emotions,mental state and feelings and respond with
appropriate emotions.
Such emotional understanding may lead to someone feeling
concerned for another person's well-being, or it may lead to
feelings of personal distress.
Mirroring of others feeling.
8. Somatic empathy involves having a physical reaction in
response to what someone else is experiencing.
People sometimes physically experience what another
person is feeling.
• Cognitive empathy involves being able to understand
another person's mental state and what they might be
thinking in response to the situation.
This is related to what psychologists refer to as the
theory of mind or thinking about what other people are
thinking.
9. ROLE OF EMPATHY
Involves more than just understanding a patient’s medical
history, signs, and symptoms.
Entails more than just a medical diagnosis and therapy.
It is one of the most important instruments in the
therapeutic interaction between care givers and their
patients.
10. Its contribution has been shown to improve health
outcomes.
It strengthens the development and improvement of the
therapeutic relationship between the two parts by allowing
health care providers to detect and recognize the patients’
experiences, worries, and perspectives
11. • It is widely accepted that a health professional’s ability to
empathize with patients leads to greater treatment outcomes.
Strengthens their participation in developing a therapy plan and a
tailored intervention,boosting the patient’s pleasure with the
therapeutic process.
• Quality of care is improved
• Errors are reduced
• Favourable experience with therapy.
• Healthcare workers with higher empathy levels perform more
efficiently and productively in terms of fulfilling their role in social
transformation.
12. • Empathy allows the healthcare worker to understand and
feel sympathy for their patients, allowing them to feel safe
in expressing their concerns and issues.
Patients adhere to the therapeutic plan of action.
So better outcomes and a higher chance of improving.
13. • Expressing empathy is highly effective and powerful, which
builds patient trust, calms anxiety, and improves health
outcomes.
• Research has shown empathy and compassion to be
associated with better adherence to medications,
decreased malpractice cases, fewer mistakes, and
increased patient satisfaction.
14. SYMPATHY
Perception, understanding, and reaction to the distress
or need of others.
Sympathy involves understanding from your own
perspective.
Feeling sorry for someone else sufferings or
misfortune.
16. EQUANIMITY
Opposite of empathy .
Feeling of calmness and composure even in difficult situation.
It’s an inner state of total deflection from external negativity, misery and
nuisances.
This means that whatever inner emotional state you are in is very stable.
Completely of your own making.
Other people’s misfortunes or troubles don’t mean anything to you on a
mental/emotional level.
17. HOW TO BREAK BAD NEWS TO THE FAMILY
Aim
Use skills to deliver bad news clearly honestly and
sensitively so that the patients can both understand and
feel supported.
18. SPIKES protocol
Six part method that sets out a straightforward process for
sharing :
-difficult-to-hear
-difficult-to-deliver news.
Acknowledges that the situation challenges both doctor
and patient.
19. OBJECTIVES
Sharing information with the patient.
Gathering responses from them.
Providing vital support.
Creating a plan to move forward.
20. S - Setting
P - Perception
I - Invitation
K – Knowledge
E – Emotion
S – Strategy and Summary
21. SETTING
• The set-up of the meeting is important.
• You should create a warm and welcoming space that does not seem cold or
clinical.
If the patient wants family or close friends to be there in support,make sure that
these people are included as well.
Don’t rush into the news and take a moment to connect with your patient.
Take time to show empathy.
PERCEPTION
It refers to the patient’s current level of knowledge about their medical issue and
what they think about their status on the road to recovery.
It is important to do more listening than talking at this stage
There is no need to challenge the patient on inaccurate or hopeful beliefs at this
point.
22. INVITATION
Ask your patient if they want to know the details of their
condition or the treatment they might face.
• If they are not ready for the details, it is not necessary to
force them to listen.
• The SPIKES method acknowledges that each patient has a
right not to know the details if they are not ready for them.
Wait for the permission from your patient before
proceeding with the news.
23. KNOWLEDGE
• In this stage you are sharing knowledge and information
with your patient.
• It is important to ask the patient how much they
understand and meet them there.
• Your patient often will need you to speak in plain terms, not
medical jargon.
• Consider the individual before you; have they understood
what you said? Do not rush this part of the protocol.
24. EMOTION
• The sharing of bad news is emotional for both doctor and
patient.
• Create space for your patient to express their emotion and
practice deep empathy.
• Put yourself in their shoes by identifying their reaction –
sadness, shock, denial—and helping them to identify it too.
25. STRATEGY & SUMMARY
Strategy - End the meeting on an intentional note: what will
come next?
Summarize your thoughts and your understanding of the
patient’s reaction .
Set expectations for the next appointment.
