The experience of speech-language therapists and audiologists when delivering bad news: A qualitative analysis

As part of their professional responsibilities, speech-language therapists and audiologists are required to deliver bad news.

The aim of this qualitative study is to describe and characterize the subjective experience of speech-language therapists and audiologists when delivering bad news to clients or their family members.

A group of 156 speech-language therapists and audiologists replied in writing to an open question asking them to describe a clinical encounter in which they delivered bad news. The texts that were generated in response to this question served as a data base. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data and generate themes.

Thematic analysis of participants' texts revealed the challenges inherent to the delivery of bad news. Four main themes emerged from text analysis: difficulty in phrasing the news; the deliverer's emotional experience; the receiver's reaction; and being alone or in companion with another healthcare provider during the delivery of the bad news.

Speech-language therapists and audiologists experience difficulties similar to those experienced by other healthcare professionals when delivering bad news. Nevertheless, speech-language therapists and audiologists seem to perceive the delivery of bad news situation in a broader sense than the conventional definition given to this term in the medical arena. What this paper adds What is already known on the subject The task of delivering bad news is stressful to healthcare professionals. Most of the literature on the topic pertains to physicians. Little is known regarding the delivery of bad news in speech-language therapy and audiology. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study highlights the challenges that speech-language therapists and audiologists encounter when delivering bad news. Furthermore, it illuminates the implicit perceptions of these professionals regarding what is considered 'bad news'. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The emotional challenges associated with the delivery of bad news underscore the importance of support and training regarding the delivery of bad news. It is especially important to prepare for a client's difficult questions, and to prefer a collaborative approach to the delivery of bad news.