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Bereavement Care after the Unexpected Death of a Child in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Integrative

Arielle Jolly1,2, Kylie Davies1, Ashleigh E Butler3

  • 1School of Nursing, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.

Journal of Palliative Medicine
|July 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Families experiencing a child's unexpected death in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) need strong connections and communication with clinicians. Evidence-based bereavement care and ongoing support are crucial for improving grief outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care
  • Bereavement Care
  • Family Support

Background:

  • Unexpected child death in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can lead to profound and lasting psychosocial impacts on families.
  • Effective, evidence-based bereavement care is essential for mitigating these impacts and improving grief outcomes.
  • Understanding the specific needs of unexpectedly bereaved families is critical for tailoring care within PICUs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the bereavement care needs of families who have experienced the unexpected death of a child in a PICU.
  • To explore existing approaches for addressing the needs of these families.

Main Methods:

  • An integrative review systematically searched major databases (OVID Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, ProQuest) and Google Scholar for relevant research and guidelines.
  • Articles were critically appraised using established checklists (CASP, MMAS, AGREE II).
  • Data synthesis employed the constant comparison method for qualitative and quantitative findings.

Main Results:

  • The review included 29 research articles and 5 guidelines, with 3 articles focusing specifically on unexpected child death.
  • Four key themes emerged: connection and communication with PICU clinicians, awareness of the impacts of unexpected death, and emotional/physical support for family members.
  • Families require strong relationships with clinicians and comprehensive support before, during, and after their child's death.

Conclusions:

  • Unexpectedly bereaved families need sustained relationships with clinicians and compassionate support, including post-PICU follow-up.
  • Further research is necessary to fully understand the unique needs of this population.
  • Developing innovative, evidence-based interventions is crucial for enhancing bereavement outcomes for families.
Abstract

Keywords:
bereavementdeathfamilyintensive care unitspediatricsudden

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