Attitudes and practices in the bereavement care offered by children's hospitals: A survey of the Pediatric Chaplains Network

Fifty thousand children die annually in the United States. No best practice standard exists regarding what services should be offered by children's hospitals to grieving families. We sought to identify the bereavement services most commonly offered, the departments primarily responsible for their dissemination, whether resources differ based on the patient's diagnosis or place of death, and whether the services offered are adequate. A 13-item anonymous online survey was emailed to 201 pediatric chaplains using the Pediatric Chaplains Network email list. Seventy respondents (34.8%) participated. Respondents described offering a variety of resources, but 47.8% of respondents believe the resources provided are not adequate. Increased staff and financial resources, and more consistency in services provided, were cited as needing improvement. The breadth and depth of bereavement services varies among children's hospitals. More studies are warranted to define the optimal approach to care for families grieving the loss of a child.