title: Attitudes of nursing staff to the autopsy.
abstract: We assessed the views of hospital nurses on the autopsy, using a questionnaire which was distributed by hand to all qualified nurses working at Manchester Royal Infirmary during a 48-h period. We found that many respondents (43%) had had occasion to discuss autopsy with relatives, and the majority (90%) would like to learn more about counselling the bereaved. Few (15%) clearly understood the legal distinction between coroners' and hospital autopsies. Almost all (97%) thought the main reason for autopsy was determination of the cause of death, and only 12% supported a role in clinical audit. More respondents saw benefits for doctors rather than for nurses, and only 56% perceived a benefit for relatives. In general, nursing staff have a more positive view of the autopsy than we anticipated, and we would advocate making more information about the benefits of autopsy available to nurses.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, England.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dziobon
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Benbow
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001344:Autopsy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D001601:Bereavement; D002423:Cause of Death; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003142:Communication; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003376:Counseling; D004739:England; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires