Sudden Loss: The Bereaved Voices of Those Left Behind

Introduction

Death is inevitable, but the sudden loss of a loved one presents additional challenges particularly to those navigating grief. Limited data are available about survivors’ experience when losing a loved one suddenly in a hospital setting. To determine what resources, if any, would be beneficial to individuals who suddenly lose a loved one in a hospital setting, further research is needed to understand previous experiences.

Methods

An interpretive descriptive methodology was used to explore the experiences and meaning of being a survivor of sudden loss within the hospital setting. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 participants regarding the sudden loss of a loved one in a hospital setting.

Results

Potential participants were screened before interviews to identify survivors who had experienced sudden loss at the age of 18 years or older, had lost someone older than 25 years, and were English speaking and whose loss occurred within 24 to 48 hours in the hospital setting. Qualitative data revealed 4 themes and 1 subtheme.

Discussion

Surviving the sudden loss of a loved one within a hospital setting is a unique, individualized experience; however, data from this research reveal that commonalities among experiences exist. Themes revealed feelings of imminent doom for the participants, acknowledging the “new reality” of life and leaving the hospital emotionally drained owing to the distant, transactional care received. Understanding the similarities among experiences of sudden loss in a hospital setting may pave the way for the development of educational and practical resources for survivors and staff. Implementing education resources built upon awareness is necessary when providing care to survivors of sudden loss.