Bearing Bad News: The Impact of Delivering and Receiving News of Sudden Bereavement

Abstract

First responders and care professionals are often required to convey the deeply distressing news to relatives of the sudden death of a loved one. Witnessing the extreme anguish and grief of those receiving such news can have a detrimental effect on the bearers, leading to peritraumatic distress and feelings of inadequacy and burnout. For the recipients of such news, how it is delivered will impact on their understanding, acceptance, and processing of the sudden loss and may be a precursor for complicated grief or mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. Through writing about her own experience, the author aims to illustrate how interaction with professionals supported or impacted adversely on her grief and is intended to maintain professionals’ awareness of the impact of their delivery on recipients. Ancillary professionals also have an important role in how they interact with the bereaved and in ameliorating their deep distress.