Research Research helps doctors identify words they should not say to patients (toxic speech)

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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1064114

EXCERPT: . . . Berry said all too often, doctors use insensitive language in communicating critical information, and commonly do so without realizing the needless alarm or offense they have inflicted.

Never Words. Patients and families need to feel “psychologically safe” in communicating with health care professionals, Berry said, including in expressing concern about the proposed treatment plan or in conveying their fears. The researchers say if doctors respond using “never words,” they may undermine patients’ and families’ confidence to speak freely.

“Never-words are conversation stoppers,” the researchers write. “They seize power from the very patients whose own voices are essential to making optimal decisions about their medical care.”

Utilizing clinician surveys, the researchers identified never words, including:

• “There is nothing else we can do.”
  
• “She will not get better.
  
• ”Withdrawing care.”
  
• “Circling the drain.”
  
• “Do you want us to do everything?”
  
• “Fight” or “battle.”
  
• “I don’t know why you waited so long to come in.”
  
• “What were your other doctors doing/thinking?”
  

In another study specific to cancer care, clinicians were asked for words or phrases they would never use with a patient, with the top results including:

• “Let’s not worry about that now.”
  
• “You are lucky it’s only stage 2.”
  
• “You failed chemo.”
  

‘“Let’s not worry about that now’ is not only a non-answer to a patient’s legitimate concern, it’s dismissive,” the researchers said. Pointing out that cancer is in an early stage is “presumptive, assuming the patient should feel gratitude, without allowing room for the patient’s anxiety and fear in having cancer.” And, Berry said, patients do not fail chemo; chemo fails patients.

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