Education for PMT's and students on TOR and death notifications

[Guest guest]

I am posting this question at the request of Becknell,

Publisher of EMS Best Practices, Inc. and others on the EMS

management listserve. A thread on this topic has been initiated

within that management list, and I responded to it, thus leading

here to our membership of this list.

The concern has been voiced that there is a lack of sufficient

education re. the proper and effective method of delivering news of

the death of an individual at a scene when termination of

resuscitation efforts have been authorized. This termination of

resuscitation (TOR) appears to be happening more frequently

nationally, and the lack of skills and knowledge about delivery of

such news in a caring, compassionate, yet effective manner has been

brought to light. I teach a Death and Dying course at Austin

Community College, and have found over the 15 years of having EMS

students in that class that they do, indeed, not get this education

within the EMS curriculum. These EMS curriculums are already packed

with mandatory content so time to present this topic is limited at

best. Further, textbooks targeting the EMS student lack current,

adequate, and targeted information on communication with survivors

at the scene when devastating news must be delivered. This topic

has been addressed within the literature, and validated by my

limited circle of EMS Educators, as well as confirmed through the

acceptance of a proposed breakout session that I will teach this

November in Houston at the Texas EMS Conference.

What I seek from members of this group is input that further

supports the need for such a component within the education of

students as well as practicing EMT's and PMT's. I am deliberating

development of a short independent teaching module that would make

this information available to educators and other training staff

members. The presentation in November will address such ideas and

more regarding methods to make communication and on scene

interactions more effective and supportive. For many victim's

family members, this single interaction with the EMS responders is

the only portion of the catastrophic and confusing events, and if it

is not a positive experience they are left believing that the EMS

personnel were uncaring and indifferent to their loved one and to

themselves as the survivors of that person. My goal with advocating

for this educational component is to reduce these inaccurate and

unfortunate images that may be left behind after a valiant effort

was expended to save the victim and after EMS has left the scene.

I would appreciate any comments or personal experiences you may have

to share on this subject.

Feel free to email me directly if you wish: janene@...

Thank you,

Janene Jeffery, RN, MSN, CT