TABLE 2.

Themes and subthemes

Theme →	Subtheme→	Subtheme →	Subtheme
Shadowing as an activity	Observations made	Physical environment Relational care
	Feelings about doing shadowing	Anxiety	About intruding About seeing poor care About what colleagues would think
		Curiosity ‘give it a go’
		Doubt/uncertainty	About how to do it About learning anything
	Feelings during shadowing	Positive/enjoyment
		Uncomfortable	‘Out of role’/personal professional split Being judged by colleagues as ‘slacking off’ Sad situation
	Shadowing style	Intervening Mindful ‘in the zone’ Companion
Responses to the experience of shadowing	Impact of experience for the project	Increase in knowledge and understanding (cognitive empathy)
		Increase in affective empathy
	Personal impact	Motivation	To make improvements for patients Re‐engagement with own work
		Thoughts about own dying, death and mortality
	Subjectivity of observation	‘Lens’ affecting interpretation	Personal experience Professional experience Personality
		Emotional response affecting interpretation