A qualitative study of the experiences of relatives to brought in dead persons in an emergency department.
Dorthe Gaby Bove, Suzanne Forsyth Herling, Nanna Sørensen and 2 others
PMID 35976705WHAT IT FOUND
Relatives of unexpectedly dead people described their ED goodbye as chaotic, with waiting, unclear explanations, and a basement room making grief harder.
Nurses could reduce chaos by clear communication, timely access, and a private, dignified space.
Key findings
01Relatives described internal and external chaos, with the busy ED environment adding to their distress.
02Relatives struggled to understand information and often felt blocked by ED nurses from seeing the deceased.
03Relatives valued being met promptly, supported during the goodbye, and offered a final nurse conversation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one Danish emergency department, so it may not reflect other settings. Only 11 relatives were interviewed, although more than 50 relatives were observed. An ED nurse decided who was too frail, confused, or distressed to take part, which may have left out some relatives. Observations were 30 hours, while the protocol planned 50 hours. The researcher was also a nurse, which may have shaped interviews and comfort. The paper describes experiences, not whether any change works.
Declared interests
Funded by the Lundbeck Foundation and a research grant from North Zealand Hospital. Authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that any ED intervention reduces complicated grief. It describes relatives' experiences and suggests possible care improvements, but it did not test a treatment or measure grief outcomes.