Delivering Bad News in Clinical Practice: The Role of Communication Skills and Emotional Intelligence Among Polish Healthcare Professionals

Background: Effective communication and emotional intelligence (EI) are essential in ethically grounded, patient-centred care, particularly when delivering bad news (BBN). Despite growing attention in international healthcare education, there is a lack of data from Central and Eastern Europe. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed 929 Polish healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, paramedics, midwives, physiotherapists). Standardised instruments included the Health Professionals Communication Skills Scale (HP-CSS), Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE), and Breaking Bad News Attitudes Scale (BBNAS). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regression. Results: Nurses and physicians demonstrated stronger communication competencies and greater emotional readiness. Emotional intelligence—especially the ability to apply emotions to reasoning—predicted structured and empathetic communication. Communication variables such as respect and informative communication were modest predictors of openness to BBN. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of emotional intelligence (EI) and communication skills in equipping healthcare professionals for emotionally demanding interactions. Tailored training integrated into medical education may foster more confident, ethical, and patient-centred BBN practices.