Kathleen L Meert1, Susan Eggly2, Karen Kavanaugh3, Robert A Berg4, David L Wessel5, Christopher J L Newth6, Thomas P Shanley7, Rick Harrison8, Heidi Dalton9, J Michael Dean10, Allan Doctor11, Tammara Jenkins12, Crystal L Park13. 1. Department of Pediatrics. 2. Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute/Wayne State University. 3. Wayne State University College of Nursing. 4. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center. 6. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles. 7. Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital at University of California Los Angeles. 9. Department of Pediatrics, Phoenix Children's Hospital. 10. Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah. 11. Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital. 12. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 13. Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to identify and describe types of meaning-making processes that occur among parents during bereavement meetings with their child's intensive care physician after their child's death in a pediatric intensive care unit. METHODS: Fifty-three parents of 35 deceased children participated in a bereavement meeting with their child's physician 14.5 ± 6.3 weeks after the child's death. One meeting was conducted per family. Meetings were video recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using a directed content analysis, an interdisciplinary team analyzed the transcripts to identify and describe meaning-making processes that support and extend extant meaning-making theory. RESULTS: Four major meaning-making processes were identified: (1) sense making, (2) benefit finding, (3) continuing bonds, and (4) identity reconstruction. Sense making refers to seeking biomedical explanations for the death, revisiting parents' prior decisions and roles, and assigning blame. Benefit finding refers to exploring positive consequences of the death, including ways to help others, such as giving feedback to the hospital, making donations, participating in research, volunteering, and contributing to new medical knowledge. Continuing bonds refers to parents' ongoing connection with the deceased child manifested by reminiscing about the child, sharing photographs and discussing personal rituals, linking objects, and community events to honor the child. Identity reconstruction refers to changes in parents' sense of self, including changes in relationships, work, home, and leisure. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-physician bereavement meetings facilitate several types of meaning-making processes among bereaved parents. Further research should evaluate the extent to which meaning making during bereavement meetings affects parents' health outcomes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to identify and describe types of meaning-making processes that occur among parents during bereavement meetings with their child's intensive care physician after their child's death in a pediatric intensive care unit. METHODS: Fifty-three parents of 35 deceased children participated in a bereavement meeting with their child's physician 14.5 ± 6.3 weeks after the child's death. One meeting was conducted per family. Meetings were video recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using a directed content analysis, an interdisciplinary team analyzed the transcripts to identify and describe meaning-making processes that support and extend extant meaning-making theory. RESULTS: Four major meaning-making processes were identified: (1) sense making, (2) benefit finding, (3) continuing bonds, and (4) identity reconstruction. Sense making refers to seeking biomedical explanations for the death, revisiting parents' prior decisions and roles, and assigning blame. Benefit finding refers to exploring positive consequences of the death, including ways to help others, such as giving feedback to the hospital, making donations, participating in research, volunteering, and contributing to new medical knowledge. Continuing bonds refers to parents' ongoing connection with the deceased child manifested by reminiscing about the child, sharing photographs and discussing personal rituals, linking objects, and community events to honor the child. Identity reconstruction refers to changes in parents' sense of self, including changes in relationships, work, home, and leisure. CONCLUSIONS: Parent-physician bereavement meetings facilitate several types of meaning-making processes among bereaved parents. Further research should evaluate the extent to which meaning making during bereavement meetings affects parents' health outcomes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Authors: Betty Ferrell; Stephen R Connor; Anne Cordes; Constance M Dahlin; Perry G Fine; Nancy Hutton; Mark Leenay; Judy Lentz; Judi Lund Person; Diane E Meier; Ken Zuroski Journal: J Pain Symptom Manage Date: 2007-06 Impact factor: 3.612
Authors: Kathleen L Meert; Susan Eggly; Murray Pollack; K J S Anand; Jerry Zimmerman; Joseph Carcillo; Christopher J L Newth; J Michael Dean; Douglas F Willson; Carol Nicholson Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2007-07 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Susan Eggly; Mark A Manning; Richard B Slatcher; Robert A Berg; David L Wessel; Christopher J L Newth; Thomas P Shanley; Rick Harrison; Heidi Dalton; J Michael Dean; Allan Doctor; Tammara Jenkins; Kathleen L Meert Journal: J Lang Soc Psychol Date: 2014-10-30