Dealing with Death: Health Care Professional Perspectives after Pediatric Patient Death

Many pediatric health care professionals (HCPs) experience patient death and continue to carry out their clinical roles, including caring for the child's family immediately after being impacted by a child's death. Yet, HCPs are often overlooked as those who experience grief and require support in the coping process themselves.

To identify the variety of ways HCPs cope and the resources they utilize when dealing with a patient death.

Qualitative study with one-on-one semistructured interviews.

HCPs at a U.S. tertiary children's hospital across different professional disciplines (medical decision makers, treatment implementers, and psychosocial support providers), different clinical environments (critical care units, medical units, emergency room, and outpatient), and a range of health care experience (from <1 year to >20 years).

Data were analyzed using grounded theory and in an inductive manner. Factors and themes were identified in an iterative process.

Briefly, 22 HCPs completed an interview. A multitude of factors influence HCPs' experience after pediatric patient death. Three major themes were identified: (1) HCPs rely on their professional community for processing and coping after patient death, (2) HCPs have a deep sense of duty toward each other and toward patients/families, which may drive their desire for knowledge and practice improvement, and (3) HCPs seek to make meaning following patient death.

Health care institutions and their leaders have many opportunities to support HCPs after patient death.