Health Sciences Center - Variety Children's Heart Center, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Omega (Westport). 2021 Nov;84(1):28-50. doi: 10.1177/0030222819876477. Epub 2019 Sep 23.
Child loss is the most traumatic loss a parent can experience, increasing their risk of negative outcomes such as complicated grief. Unexpected loss in the unfamiliar environment of the Emergency Department (ED) significantly increases this risk. Despite this knowledge, research on child loss in the context of the ED is scarce. An interpretive description qualitative research study was performed with eight parents (five mothers and three fathers) to examine their experience of unexpectedly losing a child in the pediatric ED. Data collection included interviews, demographic questionnaires, and field notes. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative method and revealed four main themes: "grief as waves," "being the good parent," "coping through the waves of grief," and "the new normal." Improving understanding around child loss and implementing stronger support for parents, through communication, advocacy, and physical presence while in the ED, could greatly reduce parents' risk of negative outcomes.
儿童丧亲是父母经历的最具创伤性的丧亲事件，会增加他们出现复杂悲伤等负面结果的风险。在急诊部（ED）这种不熟悉的环境中意外失去孩子，会显著增加这种风险。尽管有这些认识，但在 ED 背景下研究儿童丧亲的工作却很少。本研究采用解释性描述定性研究方法，对 8 名父母（5 名母亲和 3 名父亲）进行了研究，以调查他们在儿科 ED 中意外失去孩子的经历。数据收集包括访谈、人口统计学问卷和现场记录。数据采用恒比方法进行分析，结果揭示了四个主要主题：“悲伤如浪潮”、“做个好家长”、“在悲伤的浪潮中应对”和“新常态”。通过沟通、倡导以及在 ED 中提供实际支持，增进对儿童丧亲的理解并为父母提供更有力的支持，可以大大降低父母出现负面结果的风险。
