The knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals toward traumatic grief was evaluated, and compared to the hospice caregivers' relationship with families experiencing traumatic grief. The study explored the care given to the families during bereavement and investigated the instruction given to the healthcare providers on how to assess families. The investigation consisted of informal interviews of health care professionals at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Hospice of Louisiana, a part of the Willis-Knighton Health System. The health care providers evaluated were Family Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, and Chaplains. The health care professionals from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center were knowledgeable on traumatic grief, and the Chaplain of LSUHSC was the most knowledgeable of the other health care professionals who were interviewed. The health care providers at Willis-Knighton Hospice were knowledgeable on traumatic grief, but their focus for bereavement care is for families whose loved ones are dying from a terminal illness. The attitudes of health care professionals at LSUHSC were to refer the families experiencing traumatic grief to grief groups, and pastoral care. The health care professionals also recommended exercise regimens and medication if the symptoms lasted longer than six months. The attitudes of the health care professionals at Willis-Knighton Hospice were for the families experiencing traumatic grief to attend grief groups, seek spiritual care, and exercise regularly. Most physicians, nurses, and social workers are not too involved in assessing families coping with traumatic grief. Most of the attitudes of the health care professionals were to refer the families to pastoral care. Many physicians suggested that there should be Continuing Medical Education on traumatic grief to educate and to train physicians on the emotional and stressful subject.
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1 March 2011
Evaluation of Health Care Professionals' Attitudes and Knowledge on Traumatic Grief in Hospitals and Hospices
Ladoris Latin,
Juliana Fort
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