Implementing a pediatric resident curriculum to improve confidence with breaking bad news to patients and their families

Abstract

Background: The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for program development in pediatric palliative care (PPC) for all tertiary care centers serving children. Effective and compassionate delivery of bad news is an essential PPC skill relevant to all pediatricians, yet many residency and fellowship programs do not provide dedicated instruction on the subject. Trainees are often expected to develop communication skills independently through observation and trial and error, which can lead to wide variations in skill level. Objectives: To pilot a curriculum for pediatric residents to improve confidence with delivering bad …