Care after death: Bereaved family experiences of a nurse-led supported viewing service

Viewing the deceased person is an integral part of hospital-based bereavement care and support. To date, research to guide this practice is scarce.

To describe and interpret the bereaved family lived experience of an in-hospital supported viewing service situated in an acute hospital facility in the UK. A specific objective was to uncover and examine personal reflections on the choices and care provided.

A qualitative exploratory design involving telephone interviews with ten family members, bereaved of an adult relative. Data were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Three group experiential themes and seven subthemes were developed from the data. Thematic findings provide insights into the context of viewing and family care, informed choice and the reasons behind a decision to view, personal preferences, observations and reactions to viewing, the intimacy of the viewing experience and the hallmarks of quality care.

The acute hospital, as a core provider of end-of-life care requires a workforce who are skilled to provide practical and relational care after death. The quality of care in preparing and presenting the deceased person for viewing, the ambience of the viewing facility and a compassionate, person-centred approach appeared central to a positive viewing experience. Consideration should be given to the supportive role of a specialist bereavement nurse and interprofessional team contributions to viewing practices and care.