telephone communication with relatives of hospitalised covid-19 patients by a specialised family support team: lessons learned

During march and april 2020, the number of hospital admissions and deaths due to the first wave of covid-19 peaked. the objective of this study was to analyse the experiences of a team of health professionals in charge of breaking bad news over the telephone to the relatives of patients admitted to the respiratory ward of a large hospital in barcelona. this was a qualitative research based on semi- structured individual interviews with all the members of the team and a group interview. the interviews were analysed using condensation of meaning techniques. three central themes emerged after analysing the interviews: (1) the call itself, (2) the need for good organisational support both before and during a crisis, and (3) the care that the professionals themselves need. to set up a large-scale operation to break bad news over the phone, some organisational aspects must be considered that go beyond the call itself. all these aspects are interrelated to a large extent, and due attention should be given to proper communication and adequate care practices for both relatives and health workers.