Death and dying in the emergency department: a phenomenological study of the experiences of family members and nursing staff

Background: The purpose of this qualitative nursing study has been to understand the experience of death and dying in the emergency department of a hospital, through listening to the experiences of bereaved family members and nursing staff. Death and dying remain taboo subjects in society today and therefore people may come to the end of their life without having thought about what death and dying might be like and what it is to have a good death. Culturally, individuals are unprepared for death, and when death occurs in an emergency setting it is particularly shocking. Methods: A phenomenological study was planned, based on the existential phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty; and framed by the nurse theorist Hildegard Peplau. Eleven bereaved family members and eight registered nurses gave in- depth interviews describing their experiences and the interviews were analysed using an adaptation of the work of Thomas and Pollio (2002) and Hycner (1985), consistent with Merleau-Ponty’s theories. Results: The study brings new understanding of what it is like to die in an emergency setting through new understanding of what the family members of the deceased person experience, aided by new understanding of the experiences of emergency nurses. Uniquely, the voice of the bereaved family member is heard. Conclusions: Recommendations for improvements in education, clinical practice, research practice and policy are made along with suggestions for further research to be carried out on this topic. A nursing model for end-of-life care, based both on the work of Peplau( Peplau, 1991 ) and on the work of the nurse theorists Ruland and Moore (Ruland and Moore, 1998; Zaccara et al., 2017) was devised for use in the Emergency Department.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• McCallum, Kay

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jackson, Debra
• Walthall, Helen
• Aveyard, Helen

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/1p0e-6h14

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:59c52ff5-f208-4b12-af03-a4d4631512fb:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1