Needs of parents in bereavement care after perinatal loss of their preterm infant in the NICU

Abstract

In Germany, 9% of babies are born preterm, 32 % of them die. A neonatal death is a challenge for both parents and neonatal health care professionals alike. In 1994 the Department of pediatric nursing of the Klinik für Neonatologie/Charité launched an initiative to offer bereavement care for parents who have experienced a perinatal death. The aim of this study was to determine the needs of parents after the perinatal loss of their child from the perspective of health care professionals (HCP). Six interviews were conducted with the HCP in Neonatology, Charité – University of Medicine in Berlin and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. The results show the differing needs of the parents and are focused on five main points: “Avoid and protection of overtaxing”, “express emotions”, “safety and family support”, “bonding with the child” and “give understanding and meaning”. The parents needs connected with the Caring Theory of Swanson show that they mostly correspond with the dimension of “Being with”. It underlines the importance of the emotional and educational support of parents in bereavement care during the perimortal period. A major requirement here is to “get to know” the parents and their needs and to accompany them individually. Offering compassionate care and interaction between nurses and bereaved parents complys with the “doing for” and “enabling” from Swanson's model.