Loss, grief & end of life — including a death on shift
2 min readModule 12, Lesson 2 — Surviving Loss and Grief
If a client dies during your shift: do not move the client, check the POLST, call 911 unless hospice instructs otherwise, then call your supervisor. Your own grief afterward is real and support exists.
- 1If the client is on hospice: call the hospice number first (it's in the care plan) — they guide the next steps.
- 2Not on hospice / unsure: call 911. Tell them if there is a POLST with 'Do Not Resuscitate' and have it ready to show.
- 3Do not move the client or remove any equipment. Note the time you found them.
- 4Call your supervisor/agency and follow their instructions; they handle family notification unless told otherwise.
- 5Document factually: time found, condition, calls made, instructions received.
- 6Afterward: a client's death affects caregivers deeply. Use Peer Mentors (via MRC), your agency's EAP, or a trusted person — grieving is normal, not unprofessional.
Supporting a dying client: comfort, presence, and dignity are the role — follow the care plan and hospice guidance, keep the client comfortable, and support the family's space to grieve.
What to remember
- —If the client is on hospice: call the hospice number first (it's in the care plan) — they guide the next steps..
- —Not on hospice / unsure: call 911.
- —Do not move the client or remove any equipment.