Two weeks post-death report by parents of siblings' grieving experience.

Nurses who work with children and families need to be aware of the impact that the death of sibling has on children. Although many children have experienced losses, the loss of a sibling of course has a tremendous affect. Nurses must educate parents and children about death and the affect on the entire family. Siblings should be involved in the communication about the impending death and in the funeral arrangements. Open communication between the dying child, the siblings and the parents is very important. Young children will have different needs than older children because of their difficulty in understanding the finality of death. It is natural for parents to try to protect their children from unpleasant experiences such as death and dying. Research supports the dying process including the funeral. Children and their families need support through out the dying experience including follow up after the actual death. They need to be assured that their feelings and actions are common to others that have suffered a significant loss.