An educational bereavement program to decrease clinical staff's barriers and improve self-efficacy of providing bereavement care

"Trying to Find North": Fathers Voice the Nature of Their Bereavement

Fathers' lived experience of bereavement is not well understood. This article presents findings from a Heidegerrian phenomenological study, which aimed to describe fathers' bereavement. Fathers' bereavement is a life-long journey along which a father navigates through devastating and traumatic loss with great strength; has profound grief that mirrors the profound love he has for his child; chooses to live life with intention and engages in meaningful activities that create purpose aimed at honoring his child, continuing his child's legacy, and using his own suffering for the good of others; is anchored by a continuing bond of love that fuels an ongoing relationship with his child; and needs a supportive community to sustain him as he travels down the healing road where it is possible to find faith, hope, and love while being forever transformed by loss. Findings amplify fathers' voice so nurses gain a deeper understanding of their experience.

The Current Status of Bereavement Care in Chinese Emergency Departments: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Understanding the current status and challenges of bereavement care will help facilitate the development of bereavement care in the emergency department. However, little is known about the status of bereavement care in Chinese emergency departments and nurses' perceptions of bereavement care. We used a self-made questionnaire to survey 124 head nurses and 870 emergency nurses in 21 hospitals in Jiangsu Province in September 2023. Among 124 emergency departments, 78 (62.90%) emergency departments provided bereavement care strategies, and the most frequent strategy was a waiting room, relevant information on funeral arrangements and the establishment of a relatively secluded environment conducive to the solace of the patient's family, or the provision of a dedicated farewell chamber. Emergency nurses believed that bereavement care is important but difficult to implement, with support resources, environment and human resources being the main challenges. In the future, further attention should be paid to the development of bereavement care in the emergency department, and the implementation of bereavement care should be supported in terms of policies, funds, resources and personnel.

The relationships between self-efficacy, self-care ability, and burnout and compassion satisfaction among hospice staff in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES

Professional quality of life involves the negative and positive effects of proving care to terminal patients on health care professionals, including burnout and compassion satisfaction. Around 18% of hospice staff have experienced burnout, and few studies explore the role of an innate ability to cope with burnout. The aim of this study was to explore the significant predictors of burnout and compassion satisfaction as well as the coping strategies among hospice staff in Taiwan.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 220 hospice staff were recruited. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect self-rated stress and growth due to hospice care, self-efficacy, self-awareness, and managing emotion.

RESULTS

Hospice staff who perceived higher stress and lower growth due to hospice care and had lower self-efficacy in providing hospice care experienced higher burnout and lower compassion satisfaction. Those who had a lower level of ability related to self-awareness and managing emotion tended to experience higher burnout. The common coping strategies included seeking social support, taking professional courses for clinical skills, and developing hobbies.

CONCLUSION

Hospice staff have to develop professional abilities in regard to hospice care as well as an ability to maintain awareness and manage emotions related to work.