Child Health Nurs Res.  2020 Apr;26(2):286-295. 10.4094/chnr.2020.26.2.286.

Bereavement Care for Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Literature Review

• Seo W
• Lee H
• Oh S
• Sa H
• Kim H

• KMID: 2501274
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2020.26.2.286

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to review studies investigating the effect of bereavement care provided for parents in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Methods
We conducted a literature review of databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) for studies published in English and four databases (RISS, KISS, NANET, and KoreaMed) for Korean studies. The selection criteria included original articles that evaluated the parents’ perceptions or responses to bereavement care provided in the neonatal intensive care unit. Of 889 articles from the initial screening, 66 articles underwent full-text review and five articles were finally selected for analysis.
Results
None of the studies was conducted in Korea. Only one study used a randomized control trial design. The forms of bereavement care reviewed included a provision of a memory package, grief information, and emotional and/or social support from peers or health care providers. The effectiveness of bereavement care was measured by including grief, social support, and depression.
Conclusion
Bereavement care can be considered to be beneficial for relieving grief reactions and enhancing the personal growth of bereaved parents. Future research should assess the needs of bereaved parents in Korea. Nurses may play a role in developing the bereavement care for parents.

Keyword

사별 간호; 신생아; 중환자실; 문헌고찰; Bereavement; Newborn; Intensive care unit; Review