Lesson 8.11 — Mock 11: Bereavement With Insomnia
Candidate Page
A patient presents with poor sleep several weeks after a bereavement. Explore and manage the problem.
Consult naturally. Do not try to force every communication skill into the case. Identify the patient’s agenda and use it to shape the consultation.
Role-Player Brief
Your spouse died recently. You feel guilty because you are struggling more than relatives expect. You initially ask only for sleeping tablets.
If the candidate explores well
- If the loss is explored sensitively, talk about loneliness and guilt.
- If options are discussed, say you mainly want to function at work.
If the candidate misses the cue
- If candidate focuses only on medication, ask “Is this normal after someone dies?”
- If empathy feels scripted, remain emotionally distant.
- Allow emotional space.
- Explore meaning and impact.
- Do not medicalise grief automatically.
- Use goals and safety assessment to shape the plan.
A short pause and one specific acknowledgement may demonstrate more RTO than several rehearsed sympathy statements.
| Reflection | Yes / Partly / No | Evidence from the consultation |
|---|---|---|
| I found the real agenda. | ||
| I responded to the key cue. | ||
| My explanation used patient-specific information. | ||
| The plan was shared and clinically owned. | ||
| My safety-net was specific. | ||
| I sounded natural rather than scripted. |