PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - David Velez
AU  - Andrea Gerberding
AU  - Mentor Ahmeti
TI  - SUNBURN: a protocol for delivering bad news in trauma and acute care surgery
AID  - 10.1136/tsaco-2021-000851
DP  - 2022 Feb 01
TA  - Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open
PG  - e000851
VI  - 7
IP  - 1
4099  - http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000851.short
4100  - http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000851.full
SO  - Trauma Surg Acute Care Open2022 Feb 01; 7
AB  - Introduction The delivery of bad news can be one of the most challenging tasks in surgery. There are numerous barriers specific to trauma and acute care surgery (TRACS) that make these conversations more difficult. Prior protocols have all been designed for oncology and primary care with poorer application to TRACS. The lack of guidance for leading these conversations in TRACS led us to develop the SUNBURN protocol. It draws elements from prior protocols and discards the irrelevant aspects and pays particular attention to the TRACS-specific concerns.SUNBURN protocol Step 1: S–Set Up; Step 2: U–Understand Perceptions; Step 3: N–Notify (‘Warning Shot’); Step 4: B–Brief Narrative and Break Bad News; Step 5: U–Understand Emotions; Step 6: R–Respond; Step 7: N–Next Steps.Conclusion This protocol can provide a framework to help guide and ease the delivery of bad news in TRACS.