Grief Care Experiences of Midwives and Obstetric Nurses Following Stillbirth: A Phenomenological Study

To explore midwives' and obstetric nurses' experiences in caring for families after stillbirth, understand their perspectives, identify their coping strategies, and inform improvements in grief care.

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted using purposive sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed with 10 midwives and obstetric nurses who had provided care to families experiencing stillbirth. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis, with support from NVivo 12 software.

Midwives and obstetric nurses were profoundly affected by their experiences in caring for families who suffered stillbirths. Their experiences were categorized into three themes: Caught Up in Multiple Emotions, Silent Companionship, and Growing Through Grief-Care. The unique features of stillbirth, combined with cultural taboos surrounding death in China, exerted a strong emotional impact on midwives and obstetric nurses. While less experienced participants tended to avoid direct communication with grieving families, senior nurses proactively engaged in silent companionship. Through reflective practice, Midwives and obstetric nurses learned to balance providing emotional support to families with personally maintaining their own emotional well-being.

Midwives and obstetric nurses cultivated skills and strengthened their emotional resilience through caring for families who had experienced stillbirth. Junior midwives and obstetric nurses need support in grief care for stillbirth cases.

IMPACT: The study explored the often-overlooked emotional experiences of nursing staff caring for families after stillbirth. It found that healthcare providers faced intense emotional distress influenced by cultural taboos, but developed coping strategies through reflection. The findings underscore the need for support programs to safeguard midwives' and nurses' well-being and enhance grief care for bereaved families, particularly in Chinese obstetric settings.

The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was used for reporting this study.

No patients or members of the public were involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination of this study. The study participants were midwives and obstetric nurses.