Current
opinion in supportive and palliative care, Dec 2015, vol. 9, no. 4, p. 369-374
Hui, David
When death
occurs suddenly and earlier than anticipated, it is considered as an unexpected
death. In this article, the author discusses when death is expected and unexpected,
and reviews the frequency, impact, causes, and approach to unexpected death in
the palliative care setting. Unexpected death has
significant impact on care, including unrealized dreams and unfinished business
among patients, a sense of uneasiness and complicated bereavement among
caregivers, and uncertainty in decision making among healthcare providers.