title: Opportunities for quality improvement in bereavement care at a children's hospital: assessment of interdisciplinary staff perspectives.
abstract: This study examined the current state of bereavement care at a university-based children's hospital from the perspective of the interdisciplinary staff. In all, 60 staff members from multiple disciplines participated in in-depth interviews. In at least two-thirds of the interviews, issues related to the bereavement experience of both staff and families emerged and were consistently identified. Themes included: disparities in bereavement care based on relationship factors; logistics of time and space; geographical distances; the different cultures and languages of families; continuity in family follow-up; needs of siblings and other family members; staff communication, cooperation, and care coordination; staff suffering; and education, mentoring, and support for staff. This evidence-based needs assessment furnishes an empirical basis for the design and implementation of bereavement services for both families and staff. It can serve as a template for evaluation at other children's hospitals and thus contribute to the sound and creative development of the field of pediatric palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Palo Alto, California 94304-5731, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Contro
authors.forename: Barbara M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Sourkes
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001601:Bereavement; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012944:Social Support