Examining the role of forensic nursing for the needs of bereaved family care and the nursing record system

Abstract

Various scientists and medical practitioners believe care for bereaved families is lacking in Japan. Professor Noriko Yamada, Faculty of Nursing, Japanese Red Cross Akita College Of Nursing, believes a lack of focus on care for the bereaved is caused by the current emphasis on life-prolonging treatment. She and her team are examining the role of forensic nursing in fulfilling the needs of bereaved families. In Japan, the range of responsibilities of nurses is narrow and regional, with expectations of nurses differing in different parts of Japan. This inconsistency can negatively impact support for bereaved families and the police often take responsibility for providing care and support. This approach to care can lead to guilt among bereaved families and subsequent depression, chronic illness, soaring medical costs and even attempted suicide. Yamada and her team, which includes clinical psychologist Kazuki Saito, is harnessing knowledge garnered from forensic medicine and preventive clinical forensic nursing to improve the level of care for bereaved families, benefiting affected individuals and Japanese society. Yamada has built a forensic recording software tool for nursing intervention in the acute phase of disaster response to help early identification of victims. The app, called MiMoKA, can act as a tool to help the bereaved family in their mourning and grief.