From the Guidelines
Respond professionally by saying "Take care" or "Goodbye" without reciprocating the personal sentiment, as this maintains a compassionate yet professional demeanor and acknowledges the patient's statement without encouraging inappropriate attachments. This approach is supported by the American Society of Clinical Oncology consensus guideline on patient-clinician communication, which emphasizes the importance of core communication skills, including responding empathically to patients' emotions 1. When patients display emotion, such as expressing love or saying goodbye, clinicians should respond in a way that is empathetic and understanding, without compromising professional boundaries.
Some key points to consider when responding to patients who express love or say goodbye include:
- Maintaining a professional demeanor and avoiding reciprocation of personal sentiment
- Acknowledging the patient's emotions and concerns, while also being mindful of professional boundaries
- Documenting interactions in the patient's medical record, particularly if the behavior persists or escalates
- Consulting with colleagues or supervisors for guidance on how to address the situation while continuing to provide appropriate care
The most recent and highest quality study on patient-clinician communication in palliative care, published in 2020, provides additional guidance on responding to patients' emotional needs, including using verbal empathic response statements and staying present with patients while they are experiencing strong emotions 1. However, the key principle of maintaining professional boundaries and responding empathically without reciprocating personal sentiment remains the same. By following this approach, healthcare providers can ensure that they are providing compassionate and ethical care to their patients, while also protecting themselves and maintaining professional boundaries.
From the Research
Responding to Patient Emotions
When a patient expresses love or says goodbye, a healthcare provider should respond with empathy and understanding. Key points to consider include:
- Empathy is a crucial aspect of patient care, as it can improve patient satisfaction, reduce anxiety and depression, and increase adherence to therapy 2
- Healthcare providers can respond to patient emotions by using continuer statements, which offer empathy and allow patients to continue expressing emotions 2
- Empathic responses can be more prevalent among younger healthcare providers and those who are self-rated as socioemotional 2
Communication Strategies
Effective communication with patients is essential in responding to their emotions. Strategies include:
- Personally greeting the patient, introducing oneself, and engaging in talk about clinical concerns 3
- Avoiding health-related jargon and using clear and simple language 3
- Using illustrations, such as black-white line drawn pictures, to assist in patient comprehension 3
- Assessing what the patient knows about their illness and providing a short summary of what the patient conveyed 3
Empathy and Therapeutic Relationship
Empathy is a vital component of the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship. Key points to consider include:
- Nurses' perspective taking is an influential factor impacting the nurse-patient bond in the orientation phase 4
- Experiencing greater concern and decreased emotional distress were associated with improved therapeutic alliance in the working phase 4
- Empathy and its dimensions (perspective taking, empathic concern, personal distress, and fantasy) are essential for establishing the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship 4
Improving Communication Skills
Healthcare providers can improve their communication skills by:
- Being aware of the importance of personal self-awareness and emotional management of empathy 4
- Including training on empathic strategies in educational programs 4
- Using a structured approach to communication, such as the Simple Skills Secrets model 5
- Combining evidence-based practice with empathy in interactions with patients 6