Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices regarding perinatal bereavement care in Malaysia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Perinatal bereavement occurs when a parent experiences the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Coping with this loss can be incredibly challenging and emotionally taxing for the parents involved. They often have complex and intense emotional and psychosocial needs to navigate during this difficult time. Objective: This study aimed to investigate nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding perinatal bereavement care (PBC) and its correlation with their selected sociodemographic factors. Methods: In 2021, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted utilising a structured questionnaire for data collection. A total of 182 nurses were sampled conveniently, comprising 45 registered nurses, 124 registered midwives, and 13 community nurses. The data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using IBM SPSS Version 28.0. Results: The finding shows that 67% had a poor understanding of perinatal bereavement. However, the majority (85.2%) had positive attitudes towards providing care for those affected by perinatal bereavement, and 58.8% displayed favourable care behaviour. The results also indicated that nurses who had experience working with grieving parents had a higher level of knowledge regarding perinatal bereavement care (p<0.005). Additionally, the study found that nurses who had been working in the field for longer had more positive attitudes toward bereavement care (p<0.05). Furthermore, the practices of perinatal bereavement care were found to be related to work designation and qualifications (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is recommended that perinatal bereavement care education be included in undergraduate healthcare education, postgraduate education, and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) workshops. Evidence-based policies and protocols on perinatal bereavement care are also recommended to support parents and family members during their experience of bereavement.