O&G Cases · Neonatal care — perinatal palliative care
Breaking the news of an antenatal life-limiting diagnosis — communication station
Communication station for breaking the news of an antenatal life-limiting diagnosis. Tests the evidence-based bereavement script, the framing of options, the perinatal palliative care birth plan, and the parallel investigation bundle. Includes assessor key and marking domains, with fail criteria.
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Target exams
Station brief
Format. Communication station, approximately 12 minutes. The parents are at the bedside; the partner is present. The assessor plays the mother. The consultant is on the phone if you need to escalate. [4]
Candidate instruction. Break the news of the diagnosis, frame the options honestly, build the perinatal palliative care plan if they wish to continue, and run the parallel investigation bundle. Verbalise your communication, your reasoning, and your actions. [4]
References5ShowHide
- [1]Flenady V, Wojcieszek AM, Ellwood D, et al. Classification of causes and associated conditions for stillbirths and neonatal deaths Semin Fetal Neonatal Med, 2017.PMID 28285990
- [2]Giacoia GP Severe fetomaternal hemorrhage: a review Obstet Gynecol Surv, 1997.PMID 9178311
- [3]Nelson KE, Rosella LC, Mahant S, Guttmann A Survival and Surgical Interventions for Children With Trisomy 13 and 18 JAMA, 2016.PMID 27458947
- [4]Burden C, Bradley S, Storey C, et al. From grief, guilt pain and stigma to hope and pride - a systematic review and meta-analysis of mixed-method research of the psychosocial impact of stillbirth BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2016.PMID 26785915
- [5]Zanin A, Salerno A, Cavicchiolo ME, et al. A systematic review of perinatal palliative care models: challenges and opportunities for the future Eur J Pediatr, 2025.PMID 41076485