Experiences of nurses involved with neonatal deaths in Neonatal units in a Saudi Arabian Hospital

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Nurses who care for patients in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) address all their efforts to care for seriously ill newborns and their families. The death of a newborn and the grieving process is profound for families and the emotional involvement experienced by the nurses can be complicated. Many nurses do grieve when their patients die yet this is not often acknowledged or discussed. A need was identified in a NICU in Saudi Arabia where the researcher observed that some expatriate colleagues were struggling to come to terms with a neonatal death in the study setting. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the nurses' experience following the death of a neonate in their care in neonatal units in a Saudi Arabian hospital.Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was applied to elicit the participant's psychological experience of neonatal loss in their care. Fifteen participants who had experienced a neonatal death in their care were sampled from the staff establishment (N=56) in the research setting to participate in individual interviews conducted by a field worker. Consent to conduct the study was obtained from the Health Research Ethical Committee of Stellenbosch University and from the institution where the research was conducted. Informed consent was obtained from the participants at each interview including the use of a recorder. Interviews took place at a location of the participant's choice, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and member-checked by a field worker. The interviews were analysed thematically according to the Terre Blanche, Durrheim and Kelly method and the themes that emerged were emotional grief, support available for the staff, colleague or family support, spiritual or other rituals, religion and spirituality.Results: Findings show that the neonatal care nurses in this study experience a range of emotions, including professional self-doubt and protracted grief. A need for support and clear communication channels from the employer emerged that could assist with the development of coping strategies. Cultural training could be provided during orientation at the commencement of the employment contract on the needs and expectations of the parents.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University