Bereaved Parents Experiences of Hospital Practices and Staff Reactions after the Sudden Unexpected Death of a Child

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of bereaved parents and caregivers, who experienced a sudden unexpected infant or child death, an infant death attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or a child death attributed to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), with hospital practices and staff upon the child’s arrival at the emergency department. A convenience sample of 139 parents, caregivers and guardians responded. Data collected were descriptive and narrative. Narrative data was analyzed using phenomenological qualitative analyses. The study addressed the parents’ experience with: the ambulance service, contact with professionals, information received about procedures, access to or holding the child, extended family’s access to the child, perceived respect and support of the hospital staff, obtaining keepsakes or the child’s belongings and the parent’s aftercare instructions upon leaving the hospital. Implications to improve or revise current hospital procedures are discussed.