title: [Memory boxes in the neonatal period: caregivers' opinions after 1 year of practice].
abstract: Perinatal death is a profound experience for childbearing families and mementoes are key to providing essential records of the baby's life and death. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the caregiver's feelings on 1 year of using memory boxes in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anonymous survey containing 14 questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, a memory box was made for 31 neonates (24 preterm and 7 term infants) and 4 infants. Thirty-nine (54%; 32/62 nurses; 7/12 physicians) answers were obtained. Caregivers considered that memory boxes: i) were appropriate for death in the neonatal period (80-92%) or for infants who had never returned home (80%), ii) helped parents in their grieving process (77%), and iii) helped caregivers to support parents respecting their spirituality and emotional needs (62%). Some restrictions were mentioned such as the symbolic impact of the box mimicking a coffin and the modeling clay used for footprints recalling children's toys (10%) and the possibility of hurting parents in their religious convictions (18%) or feelings (20%). For the majority of the caregivers, memory boxes were considered helpful for families (82%); a few thought they were helpful for the ICU team (26%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study describing caregivers' opinions about the memory box practices. Memory boxes are considered helpful for bereaved parents, especially in the neonatal period, but are of little help to the caregivers.
authors.affiliation: Unité de réanimation néonatale et infantile, Alix de Champagne, CHU de Reims, 46, rue Cognacq-Jay, 51100 Reims, France. onoizet-yverneau@chu-reims.fr
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Noizet-Yverneau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lempp
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Daligaut
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delebarre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morville
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bednarek-Weirauch
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001601:Bereavement; D003643:Death; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires