Okuzeka
Nursing vocabulary · Talking to Patients and Families

Pass away

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˌpæs əˈweɪ/phrasal verbCommon term

In nursing, pass away means: A gentle, polite way of saying that someone has died, often used when speaking to families.

In Turkish: vefat etmek, hayatını kaybetmek, ölmek

How it is used

Nurses often say 'passed away' or 'died peacefully' to relatives. Many end-of-life guides suggest also using the clear word 'died', because softer phrases like 'we lost him' can be misunderstood, especially by children or people with limited English. Notes use 'died' or 'deceased'.

Example sentences

  1. I'm so sorry. Your father passed away peacefully about twenty minutes ago.

  2. Her husband passed away on this ward last year, so coming back here is hard for her.

Common collocations

  • pass away peacefully
  • sadly passed away
  • passed away in his sleep
  • palliative careCare that aims to relieve pain and other symptoms and support quality of life for people with a serious illness that cannot be cured, together with support for their families.
  • next of kinThe person closest to a patient, usually a family member or partner, who is contacted first with news about them.
  • DNRShort for 'do not resuscitate': a medical decision, recorded in the notes, that CPR will not be attempted if the patient's heart or breathing stops.
  • reassureTo say or do something that makes a worried person feel calmer and less afraid.

More terms: Talking to Patients and Families

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.