PBC Communication Skills & Cultural Sensitivity 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A grieving father remains silent and avoids eye contact during a bereavement conversation. The most culturally sensitive response is to:
- Insist he verbalize his feelings to process grief
- Interpret silence as disengagement and end the session
- Respect his communication style and allow comfortable silence (Correct answer)
- Refer him immediately to psychiatric evaluation
Correct answer: Respect his communication style and allow comfortable silence
Silence and indirect eye contact can be culturally normative expressions of grief; respecting these styles builds trust.
Question 2: When delivering news of a fetal demise to a family whose primary language is not English, the bereavement specialist should:
- Speak slowly and loudly to improve comprehension
- Use a professional medical interpreter rather than a family member (Correct answer)
- Rely on written materials in English as backup
- Ask the oldest family member to translate
Correct answer: Use a professional medical interpreter rather than a family member
Professional interpreters maintain accuracy and confidentiality, whereas family members may filter or soften critical information.
Question 3: A mother requests that her stillborn baby not be bathed per her cultural belief. The appropriate response is to:
- Follow hospital protocol regardless of cultural preferences
- Honor the request after confirming it does not pose infection risk to staff (Correct answer)
- Document the refusal as non-compliance in the medical record
- Educate the mother on the importance of bathing
Correct answer: Honor the request after confirming it does not pose infection risk to staff
Cultural and religious practices around the body should be honored when clinically safe to do so.
Question 4: Which phrase best exemplifies an empathic response to a parent who says, 'I feel like no one understands what I'm going through'?
- 'Many parents feel that way; it will get better.'
- 'I can't fully know your pain, but I am here to listen.' (Correct answer)
- 'You should join a support group where others understand.'
- 'Grief is a universal experience we all share.'
Correct answer: 'I can't fully know your pain, but I am here to listen.'
Acknowledging the limits of one's own understanding while affirming presence validates the parent's unique experience.
Question 5: During a bereavement follow-up call, a mother begins crying intensely. The specialist should first:
- Offer reassurance that everything will be fine
- Provide a brief moment of silence and then say, 'I'm here with you' (Correct answer)
- Quickly move on to practical paperwork to redirect attention
- Schedule a future appointment and end the call
Correct answer: Provide a brief moment of silence and then say, 'I'm here with you'
Allowing emotional expression without rushing demonstrates that distress is welcome and the specialist is present.
Question 6: A family from a tradition that prohibits autopsy on religious grounds has lost a newborn. The specialist should:
- Explain that autopsies are legally required in all neonatal deaths
- Present autopsy as the only way to obtain answers and encourage consent
- Acknowledge their beliefs and clarify that autopsy is voluntary in most cases (Correct answer)
- Document religious objection and proceed without family discussion
Correct answer: Acknowledge their beliefs and clarify that autopsy is voluntary in most cases
Informed consent for autopsy requires presenting it as optional and respecting religious objections.
Question 7: The NURSE mnemonic in bereavement communication stands for:
- Name, Understand, Respect, Support, Explore (Correct answer)
- Normalize, Uplift, Reassure, Summarize, Educate
- Name, Understand, Respect, Support, Empathize
- Notify, Understand, Review, Sustain, Evaluate
Correct answer: Name, Understand, Respect, Support, Explore
NURSE (Name, Understand, Respect, Support, Explore) is an evidence-based framework for responding to emotional cues in difficult conversations.
PBC Communication Skills & Cultural Sensitivity 2
A grieving father remains silent and avoids eye contact during a bereavement conversation.
The most culturally sensitive response is to: