Quick Consults

It is difficult to know how to respond to a child when he or she says, “I don’t want to die.”   Children often understand much more than we give them credit for. Children often say things to or ask questions of the people they trust and know will be honest with them. This child feels comfortable broaching this subject with you and has opened... 

Talking about death and dying is difficult for many patients, families and health care providers. Death is not often talked about openly in society, so when faced with having to start that difficult discussion, many feel lost, worried and uncertain about how to begin. To complicate matters, all patients have their own coping and communication... 

Racist comments can be both discouraging and hurtful for a caregiver. They shift the focus from the quality of the care you provide to who you are as a person in a way that dishonours both. One way of responding is to make a simple statement about how the comment makes you feel and then shift the attention back to the care the patient is receiving. 

Communication between team members requires ongoing attention and effort to make it work in the best way possible. Any conflict can create barriers to effective communication. This affects the team as well patients and their families. A good place to start is with self-examination and reflection. Be aware of what you are thinking, how you... 

Many professionals struggle with initiating conversations about end-of-life care. Some common barriers include finding the right moment, choosing words that will open the door, and being informative and empowering but not threatening to the person’s sense of hope. In our experience, people who are living with the diagnosis of a terminal condition... 

People working in healthcare commonly find themselves providing care to someone they know. In some settings it may be possible to switch assignments. However, when the patient is known to staff, or the community is small, this won’t be an option. Depending on the relationship that former colleagues had with the patient, caring for her may...