In the room…
Sit down.
Introduce yourself and anyone you have with you (a nurse is usually best)
Establish who is in the room (just in case you’re about to break bad news to the wrong family)
Foreshadow that you have bad news, “I am afraid I have very bad news”, and then get to the point: “John is dead”. (ALWAYS USE THE PATIENT’S NAME…and don’t use fancy terms for DEAD)
