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Segment 9Role PlayWith Dhruv Sharma

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1How role-play stations work

2Breaking bad news

3The angry patient or relative

4The upset or anxious person

5Explaining something clearly

6Apologising when something has gone wrong

7Confronting a friend or colleague

8Persuading someone, and respecting a refusal

9Lifestyle advice: smoking, alcohol and weight

10Confused or vulnerable people

11Speaking up to a senior

12Interpreters and accessibility

13Everyday role plays with no medicine in them

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ReadingLesson 3 of 13

The angry patient or relative

What this lesson covers

Why they are angry, and what they need
Five moves to calm things down
Body language and voice
Limits: safety, promises and escalating
Common versions of the station
How this comes up on the day

The words to use

De-escalation: Calming an angry or agitated person with words, voice and body language rather than force. NICE guideline NG10 (2015, under update as of October 2026) covers it.
Acknowledgement: Saying back the fact and the feeling, such as "You've waited two hours and you're angry", so the person knows they have been heard.
Apology for the experience: Saying sorry for how things have been for the person, such as the wait, without blaming anyone or claiming facts you have not checked.
Escalation: Handing a problem up to someone with more authority, such as the nurse in charge or a manager, when it is beyond your role or your safety.

This lesson opens on 29 November

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The words to use

De-escalation

Calming an angry or agitated person with words, voice and body language rather than force. NICE guideline NG10 (2015, under update as of October 2026) covers it.

Acknowledgement

Saying back the fact and the feeling, such as "You've waited two hours and you're angry", so the person knows they have been heard.

Apology for the experience

Saying sorry for how things have been for the person, such as the wait, without blaming anyone or claiming facts you have not checked.

Escalation

Handing a problem up to someone with more authority, such as the nurse in charge or a manager, when it is beyond your role or your safety.