Immediate Response to Death in Care

Immediate Response Following a Death supports care sector kaimahi to respond with compassion, dignity, and clear role awareness when a person dies.
The first moments after a death can feel significant and emotional for everyone involved. This course helps learners understand the practical steps that support a respectful response, including what to do first, who to contact, how to follow workplace procedures, and how to remain within their role.
The course explores the difference between an expected death and a situation requiring urgent clinical, emergency, or further investigation. It also focuses on protecting the person’s privacy, honouring their wishes, caring for belongings respectfully, and creating space for whānau, cultural practices, spirituality, and grief.
Learners will build confidence in communicating with sensitivity, documenting clearly, escalating concerns appropriately, and recognising the importance of support for staff following a death.
This course is designed for support workers, health care assistants, nurses, team leaders, and other care sector staff working across aged care, disability support, home and community care, and related services.
Through this learning, kaimahi are encouraged to remember that a person’s dignity, mana, relationships, culture, and wishes remain important after death. The way we respond can offer reassurance, respect, and care at one of life’s most significant moments.