Question

You have just worked a cardiac arrest call on a 48-year-old father of three. Despite your best efforts, the patient died in the emergency department. As you getting your ambulance in service, the patient's wife rush out of the emergency department. She finds you and begins screaming at you that her husband's death is your fault. She blames you for not getting on the scene fast enough, taking too long at the house, and not shocking her husband back to life like she seen on television. What response should you have tp her anger?

Answer 1

In this question, the options were not given; here are the options:

What response should you have to her anger?

A. Listen empathetically to all of her complaints and let her know she can contact you for any additional assistance.

B. Correct her misconceptions and remind her that television shows are​ fiction, so she will not sue you in the future.

C. Recognize that she is in the denial stage of grief and interrupt her hysterical behavior pattern by getting her attention and helping her calm down.

D. Reassure her that you did everything you could and that everything will be okay.

The correct answer is to Listen empathetically to all of her complaints and let her know she can contact you for any additional assistance.

Explanation:

When communicating with relatives of a patient that died, it is important to communicate assertively and avoid confrontations. Also, acknowledge the feelings of the relative and show empathy or comprehension. After all, they are experiencing the loss of a loved one. In this context, even if the relative of the patient is anger and considers you could have the patient, avoid behaviors such as correcting, attacking, or confronting this person. Instead, listen to them empathetically to show you recognize and understand their feelings and offer to contact you if they need any information or assistance (option A).