You may encounter situations where the cultural expectation is to not share “bad news” with the patient, but rather with specified family members. These are difficult ethical issues to navigate and often there is no “right” or “wrong.” Building trust, open and respectful communication, and using your judgement are tools that will help you do your best in complex cases. 

For additional information, see Module 3, Explaining clinical information and what to expect - Chapter 1, Communication essentials.