Dealing with Death: Health Care Professional Perspectives after Pediatric Patient Death

Abstract

Background:

Many pediatric health care professionals (HCPs) experience patient death and continue to carry out their clinical roles, including caring for the child’s family immediately after being impacted by a child’s death. Yet, HCPs are often overlooked as those who experience grief and require support in the coping process themselves.

Objectives:

To identify the variety of ways HCPs cope and the resources they utilize when dealing with a patient death.

Design:

Qualitative study with one-on-one semistructured interviews.

Setting/Subjects:

HCPs at a U.S. tertiary children’s hospital across different professional disciplines (medical decision makers, treatment implementers, and psychosocial support providers), different clinical environments (critical care units, medical units, emergency room, and outpatient), and a range of health care experience (from <1 year to >20 years).

Measurements:

Data were analyzed using grounded theory and in an inductive manner. Factors and themes were identified in an iterative process.

Results:

Briefly, 22 HCPs completed an interview. A multitude of factors influence HCPs’ experience after pediatric patient death. Three major themes were identified: (1) HCPs rely on their professional community for processing and coping after patient death, (2) HCPs have a deep sense of duty toward each other and toward patients/families, which may drive their desire for knowledge and practice improvement, and (3) HCPs seek to make meaning following patient death.

Conclusions:

Health care institutions and their leaders have many opportunities to support HCPs after patient death.