The Death Notification Process: Recommendations for Practice, Training, and Research

Emotional Significance of the Death Notification Process

The death notification process touches thousands of families every day. In addition, professionals including law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, coroners, physicians, the clergy, and others are affected by notification duties. When sudden death occurs, the news that a notifier must convey often represents the survivors' first information about an unexpected and often violent death. It is more than a “loss.” It is a traumatic, life-changing event. Stress and crisis theory suggests that people generally feel powerless in the aftermath of trauma (Bard and Sangrey 1986; Thompson 1992). They are distraught and in a state of disequilibrium, unable to cope using customary methods of problem solving. They suddenly realize they were unable to prevent the death and often feel overwhelmed. The goal of stress reduction is to relieve the psychological pain surrounding an event so that the event becomes manageable (Thompson 1992). This is not easy, especially when the survivors had no forewarning or time to psychologically prepare. If traumatized people are placed in a physically and emotionally safe environment where their needs are acknowledged and honored, they eventually are able to calm themselves. A sensitive and compassionate death notification followed by honest information about the circumstances surrounding the death may, therefore, be the first step in restoring a sense of efficacy and control to the survivors.

Poor death notifications can make lasting impressions on family members. Clinical experiences reveal that the most distressing components of a notification remain indelibly imprinted as conscious memories or unconscious trauma reactions for many survivors. One woman recalls the exact words of the military officer who notified her that her son had been killed by a drunk driver while on active duty: “I regret to inform you, on behalf of the United States Army, that your son, Mark, has been killed. The secretary extends his deepest sympathy to you and your family in this tragic loss.” This mother was shocked and enraged by the formality of the notification. She grabbed the papers in the notifier's hand and demanded that he leave immediately.

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