Irish Hospice Foundation
Toolkit for Compassionate End-of-Life Care
15
Breaking bad news that a person has died e news of a death is difficult to give and even more difficult to hear. No one can ever prepare themselves to hear this news. Even if a death is expected, the news of the death will come as a shock, and how a person receives this news will likely stay with them forever. It is challenging to break the news that a person has died, but there are steps you can follow to help make the process easier.
Fives steps for breaking bad news when a person has died:
Step 1: Prepare yourself •
Prepare, mentally and emotionally - think about yourself, the other person and the news itself. It is important to be mindful of the issues that may arise within different death scenarios – for example, expected death, sudden death, the death of a child, miscarriage, intrauterine death, stillbirth, neonatal death. Prepare yourself as much as you can to be able to support relatives and friends with both the practical and the emotional aspects of a relative dying. • Set time aside. Find a quiet private room where you can avoid interruptions. Never give bad news in public places, such as corridors. • Know the facts. Make sure you have the right person and the right results/news. • Arrange to have another member of staff with you, especially if you are unable to stay with the person while they process the news. • Take a moment for yourself before you break the news, as well as checking your appearance. Pause and take some deep breaths.
Communication 2
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