Relatives' negotiations with healthcare professionals during older people's admission in an emergency department: An ethnographic study.

The study was done in two Danish emergency departments, so it may not apply to other services or countries. The researcher's presence in the emergency departments may have changed how relatives and staff behaved. The acute setting made it hard to have undisturbed conversations, because some relatives did not want to leave the older person. The data mainly describe actions and behaviour, not deeper thoughts and reflections. Healthcare professionals acted as gatekeepers for recruitment, which may have influenced who took part. Systematic background information was not obtained for all participants. Participants who did not speak or understand Danish were excluded. The analysis did not involve the participants themselves.

The study received grants from University College South Denmark, the Region of Southern Denmark, and the Hospital of Southern Jutland, University Hospital of Southern Denmark. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that relatives who are quiet or absent do not care about the older person. The study suggests that being able to stay in the emergency department, having health knowledge, and feeling safe to speak up shaped their access to staff.