Incorporation of a 'coping with the death of a child' module into the pediatric advanced life support (PALS) curriculum

Abstract

Objective: To develop an educational module for health professionals (HPs) addressing the clinical reality of death as an outcome of pediatric resuscitation efforts. Module goals were to: 1) reduce HPs' discomfort with situations involving patient death and survivor grief, 2) assist HPs coping with their own emotions surrounding a patient death, and 3) provide specific strategies useful in clinical management. The module was designed to be presented as part of the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) provider course. Methods: A multidisciplinary team created a module addressing both survivors' and HPs' needs regarding a PALS course 'Coping with the Death of a Child' module. The module was presented to 964 PALS course participants. Content was revised after analysis of survey data collected from these participants. Results: The revised module was presented to 601 PALS course participants; evaluations were obtained from 590 participants. On a 4-point Likert scale, ratings were: 79% 'excellent,' 18% 'good,' 2% 'fair,' and <1% 'poor.' Conclusion: The PALS course offers an opportunity to target HPs likely to encounter pediatric deaths for special education. While this is a challenging and potentially controversial topic to present to a diverse audience, incorporation of a 'Coping with the Death of a Child' module into the PALS provider curriculum appears to be both feasible and useful.