Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine
Bereavement care practices: A national survey of Australian paediatric intensive care units
By Jolly AN, Gibbons KS, Butler AE and 6 others.
Abstract
Objectives
Hospital-based bereavement care is an important source of support for families following the death of a child in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) but has been identified as lacking in many critical care units worldwide. Recent surveys exploring bereavement practices in intensive care units have not reported comprehensive paediatric data, meaning the extent of this problem within the PICU setting is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to describe current bereavement care practices in Australia PICUs.
Design
A cross-sectional, self-reported, online survey, conducted between November 2024 and April 2025. A validated 34-point critical care bereavement survey was adapted for the paediatric setting and assessed for face validity with five PICU nurses before circulation.
