I was training as a paramedic in a hospital. A doctor needed to give this kind of news to a family. He took me aside and told me to come in the room 3 minutes after he went in and say that he was needed elsewhere. Apparently this was used quite often and the staff there called it a "save". Dealing with this sort of thing day after day the staff becomes numb to a lot of things.

Later in the week I was with someone who knew she was gonna die soon. I was talking to her and was trying to be with her. It was very difficult and I could feel part of myself slipping elsewhere. I was messed up the rest of the day. My preceptor had come into the room and left quickly, he didn't want to go there.

Anyway it does go both ways. Hospital staff need to do things to protect themselves so they can keep functioning. Ideally someone needs to be empathetic but they are also human. I don't feel delivering this sort of news via a video screen is appropriate though.