Objective: This scoping review aims to map the strategies used during the communication of bad news to families of unexpected and sudden death victims from the perspective of those receiving the news. Introduction: The strategies used in communicating a person’s death to their family, especially in unexpected and sudden situations, can have a profound impact on the grief management process. This communication is often carried out by a health professional (doctor, nurse, or paramedic), but may also be carried out by a police officer, depending on the context in which the situation has occurred (in or out of hospital). Inclusion criteria: This scoping review will include studies on families of victims of unexpected and sudden death. All studies focusing on the strategies used to communicate bad news of unexpected and sudden death face to face, implemented by any professional in an intra-hospital or extra-hospital context, from the perspective of those who received the news, will be considered. Methods: The JBI methodology for scoping reviews will be followed. An initial search will be conducted, followed by a second search for published and unpublished studies in major health-related electronic databases. Studies published in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese will be included, with no geographical, cultural, or time limits. Data selection, extraction, and synthesis will be performed independently by 2 reviewers and will include details of populations, study methods, and strategies used. A narrative synthesis will accompany the results and describe how they relate to the objectives of the review. Review registration: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/4rhw3

Objetivo principal: Conocer la percepción de la persona sometida a una cirugía general programada sobre su preparación preoperatoria. Método: Estudio cualitativo y exploratorio. Se realizaron diez entrevistas semiestructuradas con personas que se habían sometido a una cirugía general programada en los últimos seis meses en un hospital universitario de la región central de Portugal. Para analizar los datos se utilizó la técnica del análisis de contenido. Resultados principales: Surgieron cinco unidades temáticas, percepción de la experiencia quirúrgica, sentimientos/emociones percibidas, necesidades de información, expectativas sobre los cuidados de enfermería preoperatorios y perspectivas sobre la existencia de una consulta de enfermería, que se subdividieron en varias categorías y subcategorías. Conclusión principal: Algunas personas siguen viendo la experiencia quirúrgica como algo traumático y consideran el entorno quirúrgico como un generador de estrés. Este estudio refuerza la relevancia del personal de enfermería en la preparación de las personas en situaciones perioperatorias y puede proporcionar importantes contribuciones a la estructuración de una consulta de enfermería.

Advance directives are a controversial subject in Portugal at present, particularly among health professionals. Although some health professionals consider them to be important tools that are helpful in making proper decisions and promoting patient autonomy, others think that they may interfere with the human and relational dimension of care. It is therefore timely to investigate health professionals' views of advance directives in more detail. This study aimed to identify and reflect on Portuguese palliative care professionals' perspectives of advanced directives and their relevance to end-of-life decision making. A qualitative exploratory methodology was adopted in which interviews were conducted with two physicians, six nurses, two psychologists, and one social worker from four palliative care teams based across Portugal. The findings emphasize the relevance of advance directives to ethical decision-making processes in palliative care. However, debates are needed regarding whether advance directives should be legally binding.

A comunicação é uma arma terapêutica essencial que permite acesso ao princípio de autonomia do doente, ao consentimento informado, à confiança mútua, à informação que o doente e a família necessitam para serem ajudados e ajudarem-se a si próprios, pelo que consideramos importante analisar a problemática da comunicação das más notícias, na tentativa de poder contribuir para uma melhor consciencialização das dificuldades neste âmbito e melhorar o processo comunicacional. Face ao exposto, e considerando a abrangência das "más notícias" em saúde, pareceu-nos importante realizar um estudo exploratório com o objectivo de conhecer as representações dos profissionais de saúde e de cidadãos sobre "más notícias" em saúde. Para este fim, realizamos entrevistas semi estruturadas a médicos, enfermeiros e cidadãos, no sentido de perceber o que significava para eles "má notícia" em saúde. Os resultados sugerem-nos que a "má notícia" está quase sempre associada à morte, doença grave sem cura, principalmente à doença oncológica.