Abstract
Speaking to children about the death of a family member is unarguably a difficult task. The current study examined an interdisciplinary medical team’s decision-making process in the context of discussing the death of a relative with a pediatric patient who had sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This situation has occurred numerous times on the Acute Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (IRU) at our institution. A vignette-based questionnaire was created for the providers to complete, with questions focusing on factors that might influence a provider’s decision to inform or not inform a child about a family member’s death. Mixed-methods analysis indicated providers had a high level of confidence about how to discuss death with patients, although respondents emphasized the importance of having a systematic protocol for the IRU team to utilize when patients present to the hospital and have lost a family member in a traumatic accident. Results also revealed a tendency to not talk to patients about their family members’ deaths, even if they ask about it. Patients’ posttraumatic amnesia status, the period after TBI during which they demonstrate the inability to store and recall new information, was found to be a major factor in deciding whether to inform them about a family member’s death. This study highlights the need for multidisciplinary providers to receive training on how to appropriately talk to patients who have experienced the loss of a family member and for the creation of a protocol to be utilized in these circumstances to improve message consistency.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.