Using Simulation Exercises to Deal With the Death of a Child as Part of Healthcare Studies

Almost all healthcare professionals find themselves in a situation where they witness death in their work. Meeting a family in crisis is challenging for healthcare professionals and students. Simulation is an effective tool to practice complex and emotionally challenging situations in healthcare education.

The aims of the study were to find out what challenges healthcare students experience when facing a family in crisis and to assess the usability of simulation in teaching healthcare students how to manage this situation. Voluntary simulations for paramedic students and medical students (a total of 29 students) were held in the autumn of 2021. Before and after the simulations, the students evaluated their skills to meet a family in crisis (the loss of a child) with the help of a questionnaire that contained mostly open-ended questions. The study was completed using a qualitative method.

The challenges raised by our students were divided into three categories: child-, family-, and self/student-related. Child-related challenges included the developmental stage which impacted communication. Family-related challenges included family members' different reactions to a devastating situation. Student/self-related challenges were few previous child contacts, communication with the family, and a situation that requires paying attention to multiple things at the same time.

According to our study, the students find simulation as a useful method for preparing to communicate with a family in crisis. The students see that with the help of simulation, they can practice different modes of operation and communication when facing a family in crisis. They also have the possibility to think about the processing of their own emotions during a crisis.