A death education curriculum for emergency physicians, paramedics, and other emergency personnel

Abstract

Although death education is a standard component in most medical schools and nursing programs, few include instruction on dealing with sudden death. Typically, death education courses overlook instruction in areas germane to emergency medicine, eg., making death notifications, interacting with survivors during the immediate grief period, and reducing professional stress innate to working with newly bereaved persons. This curriculum was developed to address the paucity of existing death education materials for emergency professionals. Topics include death perspectives and awareness, death typology, cultural and religious considerations, communicating with bereaved persons, making death notifications, and dealing with initial grief reactions. Units of instruction are outlined, including educational goals, descriptions of units, teaching strategies, and supplemental readings.

Key Words:

• physicians
• paramedics
• death
• education
• training
• curriculum.