title: Mechanisms of support: coping with loss in a major children's hospital.
abstract: Employment in a children's hospital of a major medical center can be stressful for healthcare providers, especially when faced with potential losses of pediatric and adolescent patients. Although it seems natural to believe that emotional distress following the death of a patient would be addressed, this is not always the case. The current manuscript presents results of a survey of healthcare providers at Shands Children's Hospital at the University of Florida, a not for profit teaching hospital. Hospital staff (N=94) responded to the survey with a 100% return rate. Responses identified situations considered to be stressful, and described how healthcare providers in this setting dealt with these incidents. Regarding existing hospital resources, respondents reported using multidisciplinary patient care conferences, social workers, and co-workers most often, as sources of support. Respondents also provided a lengthy listing of recommendations for improvement. Addressing the issues presented in this study may result in improved employee retention and lower overall turnover rates.
authors.affiliation: Shands Children's Hospital and Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8051, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA. ddixon@georgiasouthern.edu
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Rich
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vodde
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Tami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higdon
authors.forename: Sally G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002648:Child; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology; D005431:Florida; D006117:Grief; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires