부산대학교 도서관

1. Participants will be able to integrate understanding of the often-unrecognized impact a death certificate has on the grieving process and achieving closure for bereaved families into clinical practice when completing death certificates. 2. Participants will be able to integrate knowledge of VA survivor benefits and legal procedures for amendment of death certificates into clinical practice when completing death certificates. This case illustrates the often-unrecognized impact a death certificate has on the grieving process and achieving closure for bereaved families including access to survivor benefits. It also highlights the emotional and psychological implications when discordance of related diagnosis exists and calls for communication with families when completing death certificates. Death certificates, typically viewed as a burdensome administrative task, hold profound emotional and psychological relevance for the bereaved. This case focuses on a veteran's death certificate, where the omission of a service-connected diagnosis negatively affected the grieving process and closure for the surviving spouse along with survivor benefit eligibility. A veteran succumbed to terminal malignancy while receiving hospice care in the community. His primary diagnosis was cancer, however he also had service-connected disabilities recognized by the VA. After his passing, the surviving spouse applied for survivor benefits. Unfortunately, the death certificate did not list the service-connected diagnosis, a requirement for benefits eligibility. Grief and closure: Death certificates often serve as the first official acknowledgment of a loved one's passing, contributing significantly to the grieving process. In this veteran's case, the discrepancies in the certificate, including the omission of the service-connected diagnosis, added complexity and emotional distress to the spouse's mourning process. Conflict of Medical Opinion: Attending physician responsible for completing the death certificate believed the service-connected diagnosis was unrelated to veteran's death, leading to survivor benefits being denied. In contrast, the veteran's primary care physician argued that the service-connected diagnosis played a role in his overall health decline and demise. Legal Constraints: Survivor spouse faced legal constraints preventing the amendment of the death certificate by a different doctor, despite veteran's PCP willingness to make the necessary changes. This procedural barrier further exacerbated grief and frustration. This case highlights the multifaceted significance of death certificates in the lives of bereaved families, and calls for awareness of the holistic impact of these documents. Beyond their administrative role, death certificates hold immense emotional and psychological weight, influencing the grieving process and closure. Inaccuracies and disputes related to death certificates can exacerbate the already challenging journey of bereavement. Loss, Grief, Bereavement; Ethical / Legal Aspects of Care [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]