Nurses play an important role in supporting families who are faced with the critical illness and death of their child. Grieving families desire compassionate, sensitive care that respects their wishes and meets their needs. 1-5 Some nurses feel anxiety related to the experience of death and are inadequately prepared to provide end-of-life care. 3,6,7 We begin by presenting a case that illustrates a family's response when faced with such a life-altering event and the challenges nurses face in caring for and communicating with the family throughout the end-of-life experience. Next, we review practical strategies that nurses can use to communicate with patients' families at the end of a child's life. We also provide additional strategies to provide compassionate, sensitive care that respects a family's wishes and attends to the needs of the family. Finally, we describe a bereavement program designed to facilitate lasting communication with the grieving family. This article has been designated for CE credit. A closed-book, multiple-choice examination follows this article, which tests your knowledge of the following objectives:1. Describe the challenges nurses face in caring for and communicating with the family throughout the end-of-life experience 2. Discuss strategies to provide compassionate care that respects a family's wishes and attends to the needs of the family throughout the end-of-life experience 3. Identify strategies that nurses can use to communicate with patients' families at the end of a child's life CE Continuing Education 46
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