Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
08:25
Radiation Planning Assistant - A Streamlined, Fully Automated Radiotherapy Treatment Planning System
Published on: April 11, 2018
15.9K
Oncologists communicating with patients about assisted dying
Debbie Selby1,2, Sally Bean1,3
1Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care
|January 5, 2019
Summary
Oncologists must discuss assisted dying with cancer patients, as it is a primary diagnosis where legally permitted. While communication remains challenging, new strategies are emerging to support these sensitive end-of-life conversations.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Medical Ethics
- Oncology
Background:
- Cancer is the leading diagnosis for assisted dying globally.
- Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) legalization in Canada (2016) necessitates updated physician guidance.
- Oncologists require effective communication strategies for patient inquiries about assisted dying.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent literature on assisted dying and physician-patient communication.
- To identify barriers, benefits, and pragmatic approaches for discussing assisted dying.
- To explore proactive strategies for oncologists regarding assisted dying discussions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of articles published in the last 5 years.
- Identification and detailed review of 21 relevant articles from an initial 86.
- Inclusion of 6 articles for in-depth analysis based on relevance to communication.
Main Results:
- Key themes identified include communication barriers and benefits.
- Pragmatic approaches for facilitating conversations were explored.
- The importance of proactively broaching assisted dying as an option was highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Discomfort persists among healthcare providers discussing assisted dying.
- New tools and approaches are being developed to aid these conversations.
- Enhanced communication support is crucial for oncologists navigating patient requests for assisted dying.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Communication
8.7K
Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.
8.7K
01:28Communication
9.8K
Sharing information, concepts, and emotions to foster mutual understanding is communication. The sender, recipient, and transaction must be considered in this manner. The sender is the person who shares the message, the recipient is the person who receives and understands the message, and the transaction is the method used to deliver the message and the variables that affect the communication's context and surroundings. The nurse-client connection is built on therapeutic communication.
9.8K
01:21Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying
1.3K
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross significantly advanced psychology's understanding of the process of dying with her influential book, On Death and Dying (1969). She focused on studying terminally ill individuals and outlined five stages commonly experienced when coping with death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from...
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from...
1.3K
01:28Neuronal Communication
3.3K
Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
3.3K
01:30Therapeutic Communication
8.0K
Communication is a lifelong learning process. Through therapeutic communication, nurses can collect relevant assessment data, provide education and counseling, and interact during nursing interventions. Sending and receiving messages occur through verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and can happen separately or simultaneously.
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
8.0K
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
4.6K
The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
4.6K