Lay summary
Emergency ambulances attend the deaths of thousands of New Zealanders every year. Some deaths are the result of advanced age or illness, while others are due to accidents, suicides or sudden unexplained events. To date, ambulance research, education and policy have focused on improving saving lives. Care in the event of death has received little attention. Paramedics may be responsible for verifying death, supporting bereaved families, culturally safe care of the body, supporting bystanders who attempted resuscitation and notifying health providers or police. To undertake quality research that reveals what quality care looks like in this context, we will study existing research and build relationships between emergency ambulance service providers, researchers and the community groups they serve. This project will help us to consult and network with key stakeholders to design robust, meaningful future research that identifies family, whānau, bystander and caregiver experiences of ambulance care in the context of death.