The experiences of whānau whose relatives died in an acute hospital setting during the 2020 level 3 & 4 lockdowns for COVID-19 have been explored in a qualitative study. Next of kin for 22 patients who died in Wellington Hospital, including 16 patients from General Medicine and 6 who identified as Māori, were interviewed by phone in August 2020. Thematic analysis revealed the main factors contributing to positive experiences for whānau were excellence in nursing and medical care. Hospital staff understanding of tikanga Māori as it relates to dying and death practices was of benefit to Māori whānau. Factors contributing to negative experiences for whānau included separation from loved ones at the time of death, not having time to say goodbye, and insufficient communication with medical personnel. The study authors recommended that pandemic policies prioritise the needs of whānau and hospitalised patients who are dying of any illness, by way of daily updates to whānau, use of a bereavement whānau coordinator, prioritisation of rapid COVID-19 testing, ensuring availability of Māori healthcare staff, and observing Māori tikanga around dying and death.
