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Talking about the unthinkable: perinatal/neonatal communication issues and procedures

Susan Fox1, Frederic W Platt, Maysel Kemp White

  • 1Foundations of Doctoring Curriculum, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80228, USA.

Clinics in Perinatology
|March 22, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Clinician-parent communication in perinatology and neonatology requires advanced skills. Effective dialogue involves empathy, clear information sharing, and supporting parents through difficult decisions.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine
  • Medical Communication
  • Clinical Ethics

Background:

  • Clinician-parent conversations in perinatology and neonatology are complex and prolonged.
  • Parents require detailed explanations of medical information and its impact.
  • These discussions involve significant medical and resource data that parents may struggle to process.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify essential conversational skills for clinicians in perinatology and neonatology.
  • To explore the underlying physician habits crucial for effective communication in these fields.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative analysis of clinician-parent interactions in high-stakes perinatal and neonatal settings.
  • Identification of key communication strategies and physician attributes through observational and anecdotal data.

Main Results:

  • Essential conversational skills include delivering bad news, sharing information effectively, and demonstrating empathy.
  • Underlying physician habits such as curiosity, patience, and courage are vital.
  • Clinicians must help parents align decisions with their values.

Conclusions:

  • Effective communication in perinatology and neonatology necessitates a blend of specialized conversational skills and core physician virtues.
  • Developing these skills and habits can improve the quality of care and decision-making for parents facing challenging neonatal and perinatal outcomes.

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