Practical Strategies for Death Notification in the Emergency Department

On a busy afternoon, a 13-year-old patient was brought to the emergency department in full arrest after an apparent accidental drowning. You are told he was swimming with friends at a park and disappeared under the water. He was found after being submerged for about 15 minutes. The EMTs tell you that the parents have been notified by the patient's friends and are on their way to the hospital.Within an hour after arrival at the hospital, the patient is pronounced dead. As you are walking out of his room, you notice a middle-aged couple walking down the hall looking very upset. They ask, “Where is my son? Is he okay?” Because you are somewhat surprised by their appearance on the unit, you do not respond immediately. They say, “He's dead, isn't he?The physician who cared for the patient approaches the couple and says he will talk to them, but only if they calm down and sit in the waiting room. They refuse, become more upset, and insist on being told if their son is dead. At this point the physician tells them that he is dead. Both parents start to cry loudly and insist on seeing their son immediately.As you try to take them to a private room to talk, the mother breaks away and runs toward the room where her son's body is located. At this point, hospital security is called, and the parents become even more upset. After some time and support from a social worker and chaplain, the parents calm down and are able to spend time with their son's body. At the end of your shift you go home, wondering how you could have better handled the situation.