(108) Healthcare Providers' Perspectives and Practices Regarding Bereavement Support

Introduction: Experiencing the death of a loved one is a distressing event for many families. Bereavement support is strongly recommended by critical care organizations to promote high quality end-of-life care. However, many healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the intensive care unit (ICU), step-down unit (SDU), and emergency department (ED) do not routinely follow-up with bereaved families. The overall purpose of this study was to describe how HCPs in the ICU, SDU, and ED view and provide bereavement support.

Methods: Using a descriptive, cross-sectional design, physicians (MDs), social workers (SWs), registered nurses (RNs), respiratory therapists (RTs), and unlicensed assistive personnel (UAPs) working in the ICU, SDU, and ED in a large community hospital in northern California were assessed. These HCPs completed an online investigator-developed Likert survey assessing views, practices, and training in bereavement support to families. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare HCP groups.

Results: Of a total of 123 HCPs surveyed, most HCPs (n = 79, 64.2%) reported supporting families at the time of death and felt that it should be part of their routine care. When comparing groups, MDs, SWs, and RNs often or almost always provided this type of support, whereas UAPs and RTs sometimes or never provided this bereavement support (2 = 17.98; p = 0.0012). Approximately half of the HCPs felt comfortable providing bereavement support to bereaved families (n = 70, 56.9%), but RNs and RTs reported lower comfort levels when compared to other HCPs (2 = 17.39; p = 0.0016). Approximately half of HCPs (n = 67, 54.5%) were willing to receive formal training on providing bereavement support if offered during work time, but only 35.1% (n = 42) were very interested in participating in a formal bereavement follow-up program on their unit. Lack of training, time, and resources were cited barriers. Of note, very few HCPs (n = 6, 4.9%) followed up with bereaved families in the days to weeks after the hospital death of their loved one.

Conclusions: This study expanded on the interdisciplinary HCPs views and practices on bereavement support which may help HCPs and agencies improve and extend bereavement care to grieving families.