Context
Relatives can be extremely upset after the diagnosis of stroke.
- This may come across as anger or aggression towards staff
- Some relatives may become withdrawn, tearful, and avoid speaking to staff, or may even avoid visiting the hospital. If a family member has not been asking for information or avoiding the hospital-it is worth exploring why this is the case and being proactive in trying to make contact
Families and patients generally expect and have a right –
- to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect
- to be kept informed about what is happening
- for the staff to be friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and accessible
For staff, dealing with distress and ensuring that families are kept informed can be very difficult.
Page last reviewed: 16 Jan 2023
