After a patient’s unexpected death, First Aid for the emotionally wounded
In those dreadful hours, it’s possible to offer survivors lasting comfort and aid, the authors say—but you need to learn necessary skills. To that, add the model of the citizen volunteer, a supportive presence when the professionals have left.
The value of training and a manual
We strongly recommend that you encourage the administration at your hospital to create a response to expected and unanticipated adult death that includes education—for physicians, nurses, social workers, and hospital clergy—in emotional First Aid. The suggested reading list below forms a good basis for that education.
Last, we encourage hospitals to publish a resource manual for distribution to grieving families as an ongoing source of information. Our recommendations for the contents of such a resource manual appear in “Sample ‘Table of contents’ for a hospital’s resource manual”.
You can obtain a copy of the resource manual that we have found most useful in our work in Orange County (California) by writing to us in care of the Editors at obg@qhc.com. Please provide your name and mailing address with your request.
