Step 1: Plan - Selecting the Death Notification Team

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Professionals who are chosen to provide death notifications should have certain characteristics. These include the ability to obtain information in an efficient manner, to listen without interrupting, and to be empathetic without having an overwhelming emotional response while delivering the death notification. Team members chosen to provide death notifications should be trained in advance. The team members should ask themselves, how would I want my loved ones to be notified?

There are two roles on the Death Notification Team, a primary notifier and a support person. The primary person should do all of the speaking and delivers all of the information. If only one person is speaking, it minimizes confusion for the Next of Kin. The support person should silently observe behaviors, physical surroundings, and be ready to react to the situation if necessary.

Professionals who are chosen to provide death notifications should have certain characteristics.

  • Characteristics
    • Efficient
    • Good listener
    • Empathetic
  • Trained team
    • May include law enforcement, victim advocate, Medical Examiner/Coroner, chaplain
  • Team of two
    • Primary-Delivers the death notification
    • Support-Scene safety & monitoring reactions