Personal Loss and Grief Experiences of Healthcare Personnel in Pre- and Perinatal Care: A Review of Literature

Teodóra Dömötör,Éva Zsák,Katalin Hegedűs

doi:10.5539/cco.v8n1p23

Abstract

Pre- and perinatal loss and grief tend to be referred to as complicated grief denoting the experience of ongoing trauma. It is considered a burden for the affected parents, their families and the helping professionals alike. Yet this phenomenon remains an underrepresented field in analytical studies. Our aim is to systematically review the literature that deals with personal grief caused by pre- and perinatal loss - as experienced by healthcare staff. We shall present a comprehensive view of relevant international and national attitudes including existing grief management options. The above-mentioned complex issue deserves greater attention, which should result in the establishment of dynamic, up-to-date support programmes on all professional levels.

Highlights

The analysis of the loss and grief experiences of healthcare professionals - including the study of coping strategies and competencies to process these significant work-related events - is a relatively new field of research at international and domestic (Hungarian) levels. [1, 2] literature reviews and research studies on loss and grief have been produced extensively, assessments of the effect of loss and mourning on medical staff have seemingly been ignored so far, even though traumatic events influence their professional and personal attitudes as well
Pre- and perinatal loss and grief tend to be referred to as complicated grief denoting the experience of ongoing trauma
Our aim is to systematically review the literature that deals with personal grief caused by pre- and perinatal loss - as experienced by healthcare staff

Summary

Introduction

The analysis of the loss and grief experiences of healthcare professionals - including the study of coping strategies and competencies to process these significant work-related events - is a relatively new field of research at international and domestic (Hungarian) levels. [1, 2] literature reviews and research studies on loss and grief have been produced extensively, assessments of the effect of loss and mourning on medical staff have seemingly been ignored so far, even though traumatic events influence their professional and personal attitudes as well. [1, 2] literature reviews and research studies on loss and grief have been produced extensively, assessments of the effect of loss and mourning on medical staff have seemingly been ignored so far, even though traumatic events influence their professional and personal attitudes as well. This problem is all the more significant if one considers the fact that grief and trauma caused by perinatal loss - if not assisted and confronted properly - may develop into a phenomenon of complicated http://cco.ccsenet.org. Even sepulchral problems may arise at the loss of infants who die in the womb or are stillborn

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