Bereaved Parents and Spouses as Educators in Pediatric Simulation: Ethical Reflections

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Ethics in Healthcare
• Palliative Care

Background:

• Bereaved family members are increasingly involved as educators in simulation-based communication training.
• Their participation, especially in pediatric palliative care, offers unique insights into serious illness conversations.
• This involvement raises critical ethical considerations regarding participant well-being, autonomy, and institutional duties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the ethical dimensions of bereaved family member involvement in pediatric simulation.
• To examine these issues from the viewpoint of a bereaved spouse acting as a parent-educator.
• To evaluate the integration of lived experience into communication training.

Main Methods:

• Ethical analysis utilizing personal experience within a pediatric palliative care simulation program.
• Application of ethical principles: beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice.
• Evaluation of opportunities and challenges in incorporating lived experience into training.

Main Results:

• Bereaved family members add authenticity, improving resident learning and fostering compassionate, family-centered communication.
• Effective participation necessitates careful management of emotional safety, ongoing consent, fair recognition, and institutional protections.
• Ethical program design involves trauma-informed recruitment, preparation, debriefing, compensation, psychological support, and diverse perspectives.

Conclusions:

• The educational impact of bereaved family educators relies on ethically sound partnerships that value lived experience as expertise.
• Integrating bereaved family members strengthens communication training and upholds participant well-being.
• Programs must balance educational benefits with respect, protection, and justice for participants.