Development of a perinatal grief checklist.

The perinatal nurse faces one of the most difficult tasks in caring for families surviving the death of a newborn. This situation generates anxiety, depression, and frustration unless a plan designed for such situations is available. At Woman's Hospital of Texas, a group of nurses worked together to develop a tool to use as a guide through a difficult but meaningful nursing intervention. The process of the development and use of the Perinatal Grief Checklist is described.