This book considers the practical management of sudden death and offers first-hand reflections
of how emergency physicians nurses and allied health professionals cope. Sudden death is one
of the most difficult aspects of emergency care and the traumatic nature of some deaths can be
devastating for the family and the emergency team. This book shows how practitioners confront
the sudden death and the essential steps taken to manage the event that may have a critical
impact on the grieving relative. The book explores the unique interactions between emergency
and allied health practitioners and nurses those who grieve and the body itself. By
understanding what is involved in sudden death work and the practical psychosocial and
spiritual tensions that arise from managing the event and sequel it may be possible to provide
a more responsive service.The book addresses sudden death from the multi-professional emergency
and allied services perspective to guide either the seasonedpractitioners or the new and
apprehensive recruit. National emergency response systems have been strengthened to cope with
the increasing trauma and disease burden which for many unfortunate individuals results in an
immediate or swift death trajectory. This multidisciplinary teaching text uses first-hand
detailed stories of sudden death encounters. By reflecting on these 'happenings' and
illuminating on how specific events were handled it is possible to build a picture not only of
what sudden death workers 'do' when sudden death occurs but also how they feel about what they
'do'. At the end of each chapter a series of activities will be posed to encourage the reader
to make sense of their own practices when handling the legal and practical aspects and when
supporting families and colleagues.
