Unexpected Death Notifications and Potential Role for Social Work: A Scoping Review

Death notification is a sensitive procedure and the way it is carried out can have a substantial impact on both the recipient and the notifier, particularly in cases of sudden, violent, and traumatic death. In this article, the author reviewed literature on first responders delivering death notifications in nonhospital settings. The term “first responders” is used to refer to paramedics, fire and rescue service people, and emergency medical teams. The available literature primarily reports on police officers undertaking a death-notification role; however, literature noting a range of first-responder involvement, including social workers, was included in the review in order to address both research questions. This scoping review of 42 peer-reviewed articles identifies gaps in policy and practice around the way police and first responders deliver death notifications. The findings suggest a number of unmet needs within the current process of death notifications by first responders, which could potentially be supported by a social-worker role within police departments.IMPLICATIONS The trauma and impact of communicating an unexpected death notification in nonhospital settings is widely reported.Future research exploring a role for social workers in the delivery of bereavement notifications in nonhospital settings and related support and training could identify their potential contributions in this field.