Patient Communication Skills
Branching scenario on patient communication using the SPIKES protocol, with distress handling, health-literacy techniques and shared decision-making.
Who this is for
Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who deliver difficult news or support anxious patients
Learners will be able to
- Structure a bad-news conversation using the six steps of the SPIKES protocol
- Respond to distress and anger with empathic statements rather than premature reassurance
- Adapt language for patients with low health literacy using chunking and the teach-back method
- Apply shared decision-making so the patient's values shape the treatment plan, in line with NICE guidance
- Recognise when cultural or language factors require a professional interpreter rather than a family member
Template prompt
“Create a scenario-based module on patient communication for healthcare workers covering breaking bad news (SPIKES protocol), managing anxious patients, cultural sensitivity, health literacy considerations, and shared decision-making. Include branching decisions with consequence feedback.”
This prompt is fully editable. Customise it to match your audience, regulations, and learning objectives before generating.
What the 7 sections cover
- 1
Meet Mrs Osei: the case
Context panel setting the scene — a scan result has come back, the diagnosis is serious, and you have fifteen minutes before her appointment to prepare.
- 2
SPIKES in six steps
Visual framework walkthrough of Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions and Strategy, with a short example line of dialogue for each step.
- 3
Decision point: opening the conversation
Branching choice about where you hold the conversation, who is present, and whether you fire a warning shot before the news — each path gets consequence feedback.
- 4
Decision point: responding to distress
Scored branching decisions as Mrs Osei goes silent and her son becomes angry — learners choose between empathic acknowledgement, false reassurance and retreating into clinical detail.
- 5
Health literacy and teach-back
Flashcards translating clinical jargon into plain English, then a check where learners pick the best teach-back question to confirm understanding.
- 6
Shared decision-making and cultural sensitivity
Branching decision on presenting treatment options, eliciting what matters to the patient, and arranging a professional interpreter for a follow-up conversation.
- 7
Debrief and scored knowledge check
Consequence summary showing how the chosen path affected trust and understanding, a final scored check on the SPIKES steps, and key takeaways.
Structure is representative — the generator adapts sections to your edited prompt and passes every package through interactivity and visual-density quality gates.
Topics covered
Make it yours
- Swap the central case for one from your specialty — an oncology results conversation, a paediatric diagnosis or an emergency department disclosure — by naming it in the prompt
- Upload your trust's interpreting and communication policies so the interpreter and follow-up steps match local arrangements
- Set the audience level in the prompt (students, newly qualified staff or senior clinicians) to adjust how much scaffolding the feedback gives
Frequently asked questions
What is the SPIKES protocol for breaking bad news?
SPIKES is a six-step framework developed by Baile and colleagues for delivering difficult news: Setting up the conversation, assessing the patient's Perception, obtaining their Invitation, giving Knowledge, responding to Emotions with empathy, and agreeing a Strategy and summary. It is widely taught in UK medical and nursing education because it gives a repeatable structure for a conversation most clinicians find hard.
Is communication skills training mandatory for NHS staff?
There is no single statutory requirement, but effective communication is embedded in the professional standards clinicians are regulated against — the GMC's Good Medical Practice (in force from January 2024) and the NMC Code both require it, and NICE guideline NG197 on shared decision making expects organisations to support the skills involved. Most trusts include communication training in induction and specialty programmes.
Can I use a family member to interpret for a patient?
It should be avoided except in emergencies. NHS guidance on interpreting recommends qualified, professional interpreters because family members may filter, soften or misreport clinical information, and their use can compromise confidentiality and safeguarding. This is especially important for consent conversations and bad news.
Who is this scenario format suitable for?
The branching format works for anyone who has patient-facing conversations, from foundation doctors to healthcare assistants and reception staff. Because choices carry consequence feedback rather than simple right/wrong marking, it suits both first-time training and refresher practice for experienced staff. You can regenerate the central case to fit any specialty.
Ready to make it yours?
Customise the prompt, generate a draft, then review the content and SCORM package before delivery.
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