The management of dying patients in New Zealand coronary care units.

I investigated by questionnaire the current management of dying patients and their relatives in New Zealand coronary care units as perceived by their charge nurses. Only one unit would move such a patient to a general ward regardless of the bed occupancy state. While all units attempt to inform relatives of the expected death, only 8% usually tell the patient and 21% would never do so. When this information is given to both it is usually conveyed in separate interviews, usually by a consultant physician. In one unit all are informed together. The bad news is given to relatives in a corridor in 25% of units. Follow-up contact of any sort with bereaved relatives was reported by 12%. It is suggested that this and the apparent reluctance of staff to communicate about likely outcome with patients as well as their relatives may merit further study.