Poster Presentation
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
This presentation is part of : Poster Presentations I
Bereavement After-Care, Development, and Research
Leslie E. Parker, RN, CCRN, Sandra Clark, BSN, RN, Cheryl Behner Patterson, RN, Mary Caldwell, MPA, BSN, RN, and Lisa A. Ulrich, BSN, RN. Coronary Care Unit, Kettering Medical Center, Kettering, OH, USA
Learning Objective #1: The learner will be able to identify varied and specific needs of each individual family.
Learning Objective #2: The learner will be able to see the calculated results of utilizying an "end of life" care program vs. not offering one.
The current practice in the CCU is that “end of life care” ends when the patient dies. The nursing staff is focused on saving the patient’s life rather than supporting the families’ bereavement process. With the acuity and morbidity of the patient’s in the CCU increasing, nurses are challenged to assess the steps in the bereavement process. According to Jones and Martinson there are “two stages of bereavement…The first during care giving and the second following the death of the family member”. A caring program was developed to address the needs of the bereaved family. This program will guide them through the process without abruptly ending the ties with the nursing staff at the time of death. After an extensive literature review, a tool was identified to obtain data from the patient’s families regarding their needs and formulate their experiences to improve the care given. The survey was created to establish a follow up program to support families who had experienced a recent loss. During the stay in the CCU a relationship is formed with the families and a contact staff member is identified. Information regarding support groups and community resources are provided on an ongoing basis. Verbal permission is obtained to continue contact with the family after the patient’s death. Telephone and written communication, with the bereaved person(s), will be conducted on a continuous basis. Within the first year a questionnaire/ survey regarding the end of life care and the grieving process that the family member(s) has experienced will be mailed. These results will be communicated to the staff of the CCU. The survey results from the families will provide information which will be utilized to assess the bereavement program. Adjustments will be made to the program as needed. Continued improvement during the second stage of bereavement is expected.

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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)