BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT FOR COUPLES FOLLOWING DEATH OF A BABY: PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND 14-YEAR EXIT ANALYSIS
Abstract
Program development, implementation, and a 14-year exit analysis of a bereavement support program for couples whose baby died in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is presented. A closed, hospital-based, time-limited (12 weeks) format was used. Team leadership was used and 54% of bereaved NICU parents participated. Each group was structured with a 2-week introductory period, open format grief-focused weekly discussions,evaluation in Week 11, and summary session with termination in Week 12. The exit analysis details program strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Bereavement support groups are one part of what we contend should be a comprehensive bereavement program,organized to care for families prior to, during, and after a baby's death. A sensitive, spiritually aware, supportive environment should be maintained throughout with relationship building as a cornerstone of the program.
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Training programs or tested protocols for supporting parent bereavement after a stillbirth remain inconsistent and in need of further evaluation and development.
“training programs or tested protocols for supporting parent bereavement after a stillbirth remain inconsistent and in need of further evaluation and development [17-24]”
From Silent loss and the clinical encounter: Parents’ and physicians’ experiences of stillbirth–a qualitative analysis (2012) · cites this paper as [20]
A few parents and clinicians mentioned the use of grief kits and other programs to help parents bring meaning to their child's death, which have been adopted from neonatal and pediatric palliative care practices.
“A few parents and clinicians mentioned the use of grief kits and other programs to help parents bring meaning to their child’s death, which have been adopted from neonatal and pediatric palliative care practices [19-23].”
From Silent loss and the clinical encounter: Parents’ and physicians’ experiences of stillbirth–a qualitative analysis (2012) · cites this paper as [20]
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- Authors
- Reilly-Smorawski, B., Armstrong, A. V., & Catlin, E. A.
- Affiliations
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Venue
- Death Studies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 21-37
- ISSN
- 0748-1187 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-7683
- OpenAlex
- W2014699060
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 1.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Death Studies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Keywords
- neonatal death, bereavement support, couples, parents of stillborn infants, grief support groups, program development, neonatal intensive care unit, spiritual care, relationship building, team leadership
- MeSH terms
- Bereavement, Group Processes, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Parents, Social Support, Program Development
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