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Providing Support for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Health Care Professionals: A Bereavement Debriefing Program
Katheleen Hawes1,2, Justin Goldstein3, Sharon Vessella3
1Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to evaluate formal bereavement debriefing sessions after infant death on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff.
Study Design:
Prospective mixed methods study. Pre- and postbereavement debriefing intervention surveys were sent to clinical staff. Evaluation surveys were distributed to participants after each debriefing session. Notes on themes were taken during each session.
Results:
More staff attended sessions (p < 0.0001) and attended more sessions (p < 0.0001) during the postdebriefing intervention epoch compared with the predebriefing epoch. Stress levels associated with the death of a patient whose family the care provider have developed a close relationship with decreased (p = 0.0123). An increased number of debriefing session participants was associated with infant age at the time of death (p = 0.03). Themes were (1) family and provider relationships, (2) evaluation of the death, (3) team cohesion, (4) caring for one another, and (5) emotional impact.
Conclusion:
Bereavement debriefings for NICU staff reduced the stress of caring for dying infants and contributed to staff well-being.
Key Points:
· Providing end-of-life care in NICU is challenging.. · Debriefings assist staff in coping with grief.. · Staff well-being impacts patient care..
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