Breaking the news and informing a patient’s family that their loved one has died is one of the most stressful aspects of being a doctor. Sudden, unexpected deaths, in particular, can trigger intense emotional reactions in bereaved family members. Hospitals have developed specific protocols for dealing with this difficult situation.

Despite what Grey’s Anatomy might lead you to believe, a doctor doesn’t just stroll out into the waiting room and announce that someone died in front of everyone there. Instead, the doctor will ask to speak with the family privately in a nearby room.

When a patient dies, relatives are brought into a private, non-clinical room where they can sit and hear the news. Giving the family a private, quiet place to grieve and discuss the situation is more respectful and considerate than delivering the news out in the open.

Photo source: ABC