Communicating bad news in oncology and hematology settings: A statistic and Large Language Model for interpreting nurses’ difficulties and emotions

Background. An effective communication seemed to be crucial in all the cancer care phases, like diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options. Objectives. To analyze and interpret structured and open-ended questionnaire responses, focusing on the communication of bad news in onco-hematology: health care professionals’ attitudes, communication methods, and perceived stress levels. Methods. By employing a free Large Language Model, we identified and summarized the main emotions and perspectives shared by professionals. Results. A total of 221 Italian nurses and physicians employed in onco-hematology field were enrolled. The analysis revealed key emotional themes, offering insights into the professionals’ emotional states and coping mechanisms when delivering difficult news. Significance of results. Data highlighted the duality of emotions experienced by nurses when delivering bad news – balancing professional composure with emotional distress, underscoring the critical role of empathy, team support, and adequate preparation in helping nurses navigate these challenging conversations.