Paediatric death and dying: exploring coping strategies of health professionals and perceptions of support provision

Forster, Elizabeth; Hafiz, Alaa

doi:10.12968/ijpn.2015.21.6.294

Cited by 50 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The systematic review and interpretative synthesis confirm that death and the dying process impact professionals greatly and cause them emotional distress. Many of the participants in the selected studies (Anderson et al, 2015; Costa et al, 2014; Dong et al, 2016; Edo‐Gual et al, 2014; Forster & Hafiz, 2015; Zheng et al, 2015) ascribe the stress and suffering after a patient’s death to a lack of training to cope and care for them in the terminal stage. Due to the insecurity and fear caused by dealing with patients in the terminal stage without having been previously trained, health professionals find in avoidance a strategy to deal with the situation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They avoid talking to family members, they avoid entering the patient’s room, they avoid making eye contact, they avoid any conversation related to death, etc. (Albuquerque, 2016; Costa et al, 2014; Edo‐Gual et al, 2014; Forster & Hafiz, 2015; García & Rivas Riveros, 2013; Hinderer, 2012; Lopera‐Betancur, 2016; Miranda, Moura, Leite, & Privado, 2014; Mota, Gomes, Coelho, Lunardi Filho, & de Sousa, 2011; Pérez Vega & Cibanal, 2016; Santos et al, 2016). This results in an uncomfortable death for patients, their families, and health professionals, this being a cold and detached death, an undignified death, since patients are being prevented from expressing their feelings and last wishes (Anderson et al, 2015; Costa et al, 2014; Dong et al, 2016; Edo‐Gual et al, 2014; Forster & Hafiz, 2015; Miranda et al, 2014; Zheng et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nursing Professionals’ Attitudes, Strategies, and Care Practices Towards Death: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Puente‐Fernández

Lozano-Romero

Montoya‐Juárez

et al. 2020

J of Nursing Scholarship

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Purpose To explore the attitude of nursing professionals towards death. Design Systematic qualitative review methods were used. Methods A search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and CUIDEN databases. This study included 17 articles. Findings Thirteen categories emerged, which were grouped into three themes: meanings and feelings during the dying process; coping strategies in the face of death; and the importance of training, experience, and providing a dignified death. In the different accounts of the participants, it was found that death had a large negative emotional impact on them, that the participants complained about the lack of previous training in the care of dying patients, and that avoiding these complex situations was one of the strategies most commonly used by professionals to face the death of a patient. Conclusions The lack of training in the basic care of terminally ill patients, as well as today’s preconceived negative idea about death, both cause health professionals to experience situations of great stress and frustration resulting, on many occasions, in resorting to avoidance of these situations, thus preventing dying with dignity. Clinical Relevance In this article, we explore the consequences of this process for nursing professionals, common coping strategies, and possible areas for improvement, such as the need for the training of nursing professionals in the care of terminally ill patients and their families.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nursing Professionals’ Attitudes, Strategies, and Care Practices Towards Death: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Puente‐Fernández

Lozano-Romero

Montoya‐Juárez

et al. 2020

J of Nursing Scholarship

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“…Police officers typically have well‐established professional support mechanisms (Police Federation, ), but provision of formal support for healthcare professionals is more variable. Peer support is widely used by healthcare staff working with sudden child death (Forster and Hafiz, ), but this may not always be helpful and can distress peer supporters (Cook et al ., ). Healthcare professionals may therefore benefit from greater access to formal support.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Working Together to Understand Why Infants Die: A Qualitative Study of Professionals' Experiences of Joint Agency Investigation of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy

Garstang

Griffiths

2018

Child Abuse Review

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A comprehensive Child Death Review programme commenced in England in 2008; police, healthcare and social care professionals now work together, using a joint agency approach (JAA) to investigate unexpected child deaths. The aim of this paper is to explore professionals' experiences of the JAA investigation of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). This was part of a mixed‐methods study evaluating the JAA investigation of SUDI. Professionals participated in qualitative interviews and case notes were scrutinised. Data were analysed using a framework approach. A total of 23 of a possible 113 eligible SUDI cases were recruited. Twenty‐six professionals involved in investigating 12 of the 23 SUDI cases were interviewed giving theoretical saturation of data. The overarching theme was the conflict between the need to investigate deaths while remaining sensitive to families. Other themes were working together, supporting parents, and the benefits and difficulties of joint working practices. All professionals were positive about the JAA, especially joint police and paediatric interviews and home visits. The difficulties included non‐engagement by social care and poor liaison with coroners. The JAA seems to be a thorough investigative process but could be improved by closer joint agency working and information sharing, and more support and training for professionals. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Messages Joint agency investigation of unexpected infant deaths enables a detailed understanding of the causes of death and the provision of support to families. Joint home visits by police and paediatricians following unexpected infant deaths provide more detailed information and can be more sensitive to families than police death scene examination alone. Prompt information sharing across all agencies is a key part of effective investigation of unexpected infant deaths.

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“…It is a non-normative event that deeply affects not only the family members but also the professionals (4)(5) . There are feelings of frustration and impotence (5) that are exacerbated when a child/adolescent dies (6) . The evidence shows that the death of a child/ adolescent has a high probability of triggering symptoms of intrusion, hyperarousal.and avoidance in the health professionals, considered as dimensions of Secondary Traumatic Stress (1) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Processos de confronto dos enfermeiros face à morte inesperada de crianças e adolescentes

Lima¹,

Pinto²,

Gonçalves³

2018

Rev Rene

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Objetivo: compreender as estratégias de confronto utilizadas pelos enfermeiros para lidar com a morte inesperada em pediatria. Métodos: pesquisa qualitativa com seis profissionais de enfermagem que trabalham em serviços de urgência e cuidados intensivos pediátricos. Procedeu-se a analise de conteúdo. Resultados: dos dados emergiram dois grupos: Estratégias centradas na avaliação da situação em que os profissionais tentam, através de processos racionais, compreender e aceitar a morte inesperada; estratégias centradas na gestão emocional, em que é reconhecido o sofrimento resultante do confronto com a morte inesperada, procurando estratégias de melhor gestão desse confronto. Conclusão: os profissionais sofrem e procuram mecanismos de confronto para gerir o processo de luto com a morte inesperada de criança/adolescente.

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Paediatric death and dying: exploring coping strategies of health professionals and perceptions of support provision

Cited by 50 publications

References 36 publications

Nursing Professionals’ Attitudes, Strategies, and Care Practices Towards Death: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Nursing Professionals’ Attitudes, Strategies, and Care Practices Towards Death: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Working Together to Understand Why Infants Die: A Qualitative Study of Professionals' Experiences of Joint Agency Investigation of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy

Processos de confronto dos enfermeiros face à morte inesperada de crianças e adolescentes

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