Techniques for Delivering Bad News for Crisis Response Personnel

Requesting This Course:

Course Description:
Whether we are a recipient or a messenger of bad news, it impacts and distresses each of us. The necessity of delivering upsetting information causes most people distress. No one likes to be the bearer of bad news. The difficult task, however, can be made less painful if certain principles and practices are employed. This one-day course provides the participants with a variety of insights that will help them to organize and deliver disturbing news. It also provides guidelines for assisting the recipients once the announcement of the information has been made.

Program Highlights:

  • Elements of crisis intervention that are commonly utilized in the provision of disturbing bad news
  • Primary steps required to make an effective announcement of upsetting information
  • Common reactions of people when the y are informed of emotionally distressing information
  • Components of an announcement of bad news
  • Distress experienced by the recipients of psychology disturbing news
  • Special considerations for providing bad news to children, the elderly and persons with special needs

Certificates and Continuing Education:

General Contact Hours: 

One-Day Course; 7 Contact Hours: 0.7 General CEUs from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Dept. of Emergency Health Services Professional and Continuing Education (PACE). Based on a formula of 1 Continuing Education Unit for every 10 contact/classroom hours.

ICISF Certificate of Completion:

After the completion of this ICISF course, with verified full attendance, participants are eligible to receive an electronic ICISF Certificate of Completion including General Continuing Education Units. Participants are required to complete a course evaluation prior to receiving this Certificate of Completion.

Completion of ICISF courses and receipt of an ICISF Certificate of Completion does not attest to competence in the field, nor does it provide certification in the field of CISM. 

Profession Specific CEUs:

If you are seeking continuing education requirements for a specific profession, contacting the relevant state licensing board is the best way to ensure you have the most up-to-date and accurate information. They can provide you with specific details regarding whether a Certificate of Completion from a particular course or program will be accepted towards your continuing education requirements.

If the ICISF course you attend is offered through:

ICISF Virtual Training, Online Training, or Conference, it is approved for the following:

  • EAPA – Employee Assistance Professionals Association
    27 PDHs; Expiration Date – March 21, 2025

ICISF Speakers Bureau Program: It is up to the Sponsoring Agency to apply for profession-specific Continuing Education Units (CEUs) if they choose to do so.

ICISF Approved-Instructor led Program: While our Approved Instructors have the authority to teach specific ICISF courses, it is their responsibility to apply for profession-specific Continuing Education Units (CEUs) if they choose to do so.

** Please check with your state licensing board prior to registration to see if they will accept the Certificate of Completion as a means for continuing education.

*PLEASE NOTE: These hours are only applicable towards courses offered at Virtual Trainings, Conferences, Online Courses, and the World Congress.

Learn more on our ICISF Continuing Education Information page.