Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 124-130 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Bereavement Care |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2013 |
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Keywords
- anatomical pathology technologists
- bereavement care service
- community of practice
- hospital mortuary
- dirty work
- ethnography
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A missing link? The role of mortuary staff in hospital based bereavement care services. / Woodthorpe, Kate; Komaromy, Carol.
In: Bereavement Care, Vol. 32, No. 3, 12.2013, p. 124-130.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - A missing link? The role of mortuary staff in hospital based bereavement care services
AU - Woodthorpe, Kate
AU - Komaromy, Carol
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - In this paper we argue that anatomical pathology technologists (APTs) have been overlooked as a key group of healthcare practitioners who play a role in bereavement care. Drawing on an ethnographic case study of a mortuary team in a large urban hospital, we examine the technical and emotional components of the APT role, including how the concept of patient care is utilised in the mortuary. We argue that their work with other healthcare practitioners and professionals illustrates how APTs offer a ‘bridge’ between the immediacy of a death, after-death care and subsequent viewing of the deceased person, thereby providing a vital and under-acknowledged service for bereaved people. We conclude that through education and the promotion of mortuary activities APTs are developing a ‘community of practice’ that moves beyond an outdated perception of ‘dirty work’ towards a more enlightened vision of mortuary settings and APTs as important components of hospital-based bereavement care services.
AB - In this paper we argue that anatomical pathology technologists (APTs) have been overlooked as a key group of healthcare practitioners who play a role in bereavement care. Drawing on an ethnographic case study of a mortuary team in a large urban hospital, we examine the technical and emotional components of the APT role, including how the concept of patient care is utilised in the mortuary. We argue that their work with other healthcare practitioners and professionals illustrates how APTs offer a ‘bridge’ between the immediacy of a death, after-death care and subsequent viewing of the deceased person, thereby providing a vital and under-acknowledged service for bereaved people. We conclude that through education and the promotion of mortuary activities APTs are developing a ‘community of practice’ that moves beyond an outdated perception of ‘dirty work’ towards a more enlightened vision of mortuary settings and APTs as important components of hospital-based bereavement care services.
KW - anatomical pathology technologists
KW - bereavement care service
KW - community of practice
KW - hospital mortuary
KW - dirty work
KW - ethnography
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84890652663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02682621.2013.854545
U2 - 10.1080/02682621.2013.854545
DO - 10.1080/02682621.2013.854545
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 124
EP - 130
JO - Bereavement Care
JF - Bereavement Care
SN - 0268-2621
IS - 3
ER -