ABSTRACT
Children who lose a close person to suicide or homicide will most likely receive this news from a carer. The caregiver's personal beliefs and approaches to addressing the topic will influence the child. A total of 10 interviews were conducted with carers of children aged 0-17 years, and the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were developed, exploring: (1) how carers attempted to manage the task of delivering the news of death to the child and discussing it using careful wording; (2) how some carers' desire to protect the child from the truth hindered honesty and open conversations; (3) how and why some carers deliberately challenged societal taboos; and (4) how external influences prompted conversations about the topic. The discussion projects potential consequences for the children and their families. It also derives necessary societal changes, support measures, and further research suggestions.
ABSTRACT
In this white paper, key recommendations for visitation by children in intensive care units (ICU; both pediatric and adult), intermediate care units and emergency departments (ED) are presented. In ICUs and EDs in German-speaking countries, the visiting policies for children and adolescents are regulated very heterogeneously: sometimes they are allowed to visit patients without restrictions in age and time duration, sometimes this is only possible from the age of teenager on, and only for a short duration. A request from children to visit often triggers different, sometimes restrictive reactions among the staff. Management is encouraged to reflect on this attitude together with their employees and to develop a culture of family-centered care. Despite limited evidence, there are more advantages for than against a visit, also in hygienic, psychosocial, ethical, religious, and cultural aspects. No general recommendation can be made for or against visits. The decisions for a visit are complex and require careful consideration.
Subject(s)
Family , Visitors to Patients , Adult , Humans , Child , Adolescent , Family/psychology , Visitors to Patients/psychology , Intensive Care Units , Attitude of Health Personnel , Emergency Service, HospitalABSTRACT
Highly stressful life events, such as the experience of a life-threatening situation or witnessing sudden death, serious injury, or suicide, pose an extraordinary challenge for psychological processing. They are causally related to the risk of developing various psychological and psychosomatic trauma disorders. Based on this knowledge, the tasks of psychosocial emergency care are the prevention of psychosocial stress consequences, the early identification of further need for help or care, and the provision of adequate help for coping with stress. If children are affected by an emergency, they are in a different position than adults due to developmental psychological aspects.This article describes the special features of emergency care for the target group of children in a practical way. Based on selected research findings from the fields of psychotraumatology and psychosocial emergency care, it examines in particular the question of the effects of caregiver behaviour on children's processing of emergency events. Corresponding conclusions for the practice of psychosocial emergency care are drawn. In addition, general recommendations for the acute care of children are presented and challenges in practice are discussed.The psychosocial emergency care of children requires an adapted approach compared to the care of adult victims. Behavioural competence and stability of the caregivers have an influence on the child's ability to cope. Depending on the time of the intervention, psychosocial emergency care requires different competences. Low-threshold access to support services is a challenge in care practice.
