As the EMS profession grows, EMS clinicians are increasingly exposed to death. However, some clinicians only receive limited training on how to deliver a death notification, evaluate when to withhold or terminate resuscitation, and manage the stress of this type of call.

NAEMT’s Breaking Bad News course is an introduction to techniques that can assist EMS clinicians in delivering difficult news to patients’ families and to patients who may be seriously ill or injured. Participants will discuss the impact of breaking bad news, share professional experiences, and role play ways to deliver death notifications to loved ones and caregivers.

Breaking Bad News is offered as a 3-hour classroom course and is appropriate for all levels of EMS practitioners, other medical professionals providing prehospital patient care, and EMS supervisors and administrators, as applicable. Students who successfully complete the course receive a certificate of completion and a provider card good for 4 years. Breaking Bad News is accredited by CAPCE.

All approved NAEMT training centers are eligible to offer the Breaking Bad News course. Course materials consisting of the instructor guide, course lesson PPT, patient simulations, course schedule, videos, worksheets, and final exam will be available at no cost to training centers in the secured documents folder in the NAEMT Education Portal. 

Instructor eligibility for this course will be current NAEMT AMLS, PHTLS, EPC, GEMS, and MHRO instructors.

Faculty interested in becoming approved to teach the Breaking Bad News course should complete the NAEMT Instructor Application.