Development of the Perinatal Concerns Program: care of mothers after diagnosis of fatal infant anomalies.
Care of the grieving mother in the labor and delivery setting is a complex phenomenon requiring collaboration of professionals and designing sensitive care based on theory and compassion. This article describes The Perinatal Concerns Program, which was developed to make available a complete range of care for women whose pregnancies are complicated by fetal abnormalities. Development of this program required collaboration of several services, coordination of protocols, and establishment of clear lines of communication. It was born after a particularly difficult case in labor and delivery that alerted a staff nurse to the fact that coordination of care for this patient could have resulted in enhanced ability of all the staff to meet this woman's physical and emotional needs. The development of this program demonstrates that a motivated staff nurse with effective leadership skills can make major changes in an institution which can make a difference in the care of grieving patients.
Weinhold
Orpha
O
Inova Alexandria Hospital, VA, USA. orphaw@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy