title: Empowering Bereaved Parents Through the Development of a Comprehensive Bereavement Program.
abstract: Parents who experience the loss of a child have unique and valuable insights into the grief journey and can help health care providers identify key components intrinsic to the development, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive bereavement program. The bereavement program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was developed by pediatric palliative care experts in collaboration with bereaved parents to standardize and improve the institutional support provided to families around and after the death of a child. This article describes the components of a parent-derived bereavement program and presents early results on the effects of specific program components. The program, under the leadership of the bereavement coordinator, includes clinical and supportive interventions offered throughout the grief journey, parent-created bereavement support materials, and opportunities for parents and families to participate in research, quality improvement initiatives and educational interventions. Parents report that services and interventions provided through the bereavement program are beneficial to families after the death of their child. In addition, both health care providers and bereaved parents report that participation in educational interventions positively impacts their experiences as clinicians and parents, respectively. The innovative nature of this parent-driven, comprehensive bereavement program may serve as a paradigm for the development of bereavement programs in the fields of pediatrics, palliative oncology and hospice and palliative medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Electronic address: jennsnaman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Snaman
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Erica C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Deena R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: Department of Volunteer Services, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Charlene K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sparrow
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University School of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noyes
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Volunteer Services and Department of Family Centered Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
authors.forename: Justin N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D001601:Bereavement; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D003142:Communication; D006266:Health Education; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Grief; bereavement; hospice care; palliative care; pediatrics