Communication, Training, and Debriefing After Stillbirth in U.S. Hospitals: A National Survey

Stillbirth is a devastating event for families as well as hospital staff. Hospital practices around internal and external staff communication, debriefing, and training are unknown. We systematically sampled U.S. hospitals that provide obstetrical care. Staff knowledgeable of bereavement care on labor and delivery were invited to participate in an anonymous survey linked to hospital descriptors. We evaluated stillbirth communication, debriefing, and training for staff. We received 289 usable surveys from 429 eligible staff (67% response). Most (94%) noted hospitals' marked rooms housing bereaved families, but only a third (37%) reported a marker on the paper or electronic medical record. Half of the hospitals had no standard debriefings post-loss, and 38% reported no perinatal loss training for labor and delivery nurses. Hospitals have significant variations and gaps in staff communication, support, and training, which are key aspects of respectful stillbirth care.