Emergency nurses' experiences of caring for brought-in-dead persons and their relatives — a qualitative study

Aim: To explore how emergency nurses experienced caring for brought-in-dead persons and their relatives, and what hindered or facilitated this care in an emergency setting. Design: A qualitative study using Interpretive Description. Methods: Data were collected as individual interviews with 13 nurses at seven Danish emergency departments from February to June 2023. Findings: Our analysis revealed the overarching theme ‘Navigating the complexities of providing holistic care in a constrained environment’, covering five sub-themes: (1) An important yet not recognized nursing task; (2) Pending care needs of the living and the dead; (3) No physical or mental room for the brought-in-dead persons; (4) Utilizing personal experiences in the absence of formal education and training and (5) Navigating professionalism and empathy. Conclusion: Emergency departments posed unique challenges in providing care to brought-in-dead persons and their relatives. Implications for the Profession: The unrecognized nature of caring for brought-in-dead persons and their relatives suggests a universal undervaluation of this care in emergency departments. Impact: Care for brought-in-dead persons and their relatives is neither recognized nor evidence-based. This study initiates a discussion of the circumstances for delivering care for persons brought-in-dead and has an impact on nurses and nursing leaders employed in emergency departments. Reporting Method: The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Patient or Public Contribution: None.