Communication in medical practice is a cornerstone between patients and their relatives and healthcare providers. Physicians are often faced with delivering bad news in their practice and for the inexperienced in communication, it may lead to negative consequences for them and the patients. Good communication requires training and vital to the delivery of bad news are teamwork, compassion, respect, and empathy. Persistent assaults on healthcare providers at their places of work have become a pandemic and there is a need to stop the threats by all means because many physicians have lost their lives suddenly in the hands of violent patients and their relatives. Violence has been commoner in emergency units, outpatients and obstetrics, and gynecology units than in other units. The precipitating factors were reported to be poor communication between doctors and patients and delayed consultation. The revelation of the death or life-threatening condition of patients, request for payment of hospital fees, increased waiting time, and inaccurate treatments have been identified as causes of violence in the hospital. To take care of the safety of healthcare providers before breaking bad news, the SIR-PRESS protocol is recommended. This particular protocol incorporates the security of health workers, especially in breaking very bad news which may precipitate violent reactions.

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I. A. Azeez and A. D. Ademola, “SIR-PRESS Protocol: Ensuring the Safety of Healthcare Providers in Breaking Bad News”, International Journal of Health and Medical Sciences, vol. 9, pp.8-13, 2023. Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.20469/ijhms.9.30002