Talking to the family may be seen as a chore and a waste of precious time on a busy shift. In not confronting these issues, however, we risk increasing job dissatisfaction and burnout. For relatives, the death of a loved one is difficult enough to cope with when it is expected. This occurs in an atmosphere of high stress in which access to the patient may be restricted. All of these factors increase the likelihood that relatives will experience an abnormal grief reaction, with associated threats to physical and emotional wellbeing.
Relatives feel helpless and uninformed, and their experience is often negative.
Most medical staff find breaking bad news to relatives stressful and draining, but we must not underestimate the importance of our interactions. The family will review the events of the day, including attitudes and responses of staff, again and again for months. Relatives' perceptions can profoundly affect their grief response, positively or negatively. Every family is different and each bereavement experience is unique, so some degree of flexibility is essential. Initial contact with the family.