A patient arrives in the ED in cardiac arrest. Resuscitation is unsuccessful and the patient dies. The family have just arrived. How do you break the news?
- Use a structured approach: SPIKES framework (Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Empathy, Summary) or GRIEV_ING framework (specific to emergency death notification)
- Deliver the news clearly and without euphemism - use the word "died" rather than "passed away" or "lost"
- Allow silence and time for the news to be absorbed
- Have a nurse or family liaison present
Sign in to unlock speak mode
Sign in to record answers, use your free attempts, and build an attempt history.
How to approach this Emergency Medicine interview question
This communication question is common in Emergency Medicine NHS interviews because it reveals how you think under interview pressure, not just what facts you can recall. Use "A patient arrives in the ED in cardiac arrest. Resuscitation is unsuccessful and the..." as the anchor for a concise answer with a clear opening, a clinical or professional structure, and a reflective close.
What the panel is testing
A strong communication answer shows tone, listening, and boundaries. The panel is looking for empathy and clarity, but also for evidence that you can keep the conversation clinically safe and involve the right people. For emergency medicine, keep the answer time-aware. Panels expect prioritisation, early senior involvement, concise handover, and awareness of department flow without losing sight of the individual patient.
- Show that you listen first, check understanding, and adapt your language to the patient or colleague.
- Use a calm structure for difficult conversations, including empathy, signposting, and safety-netting.
- Explain how you would involve seniors, interpreters, relatives, or the wider team when appropriate.
How to structure your answer
For a communication prompt, aim for a short opening sentence, then two or three evidence-led points, then a final reflection. If you use STAR, keep the result and reflection as strong as the situation. If it is a clinical scenario, say what you would do now, what you would do next, and how you would keep the patient safe while help is coming.
- Open by naming the main issue in the question.
- Give a structured response rather than a memorised script.
- End with escalation, documentation, learning, or follow-up.
Common mistakes to avoid
The weakest answers usually stay too vague, ignore the specific role, or miss the safety issue hidden in the question. Do not use this page to memorise a perfect paragraph. Use it to rehearse the shape of a safe answer, then adapt it to your own experience and the post you are applying for.
- Use a structured approach: SPIKES framework (Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Empathy, Summary) or GRIEV_ING framework (specific to emergency death notification)
- Deliver the news clearly and without euphemism - use the word "died" rather than "passed away" or "lost"
- Allow silence and time for the news to be absorbed