Delivery Room Nurses' Experiences of Caring for Stillborn Babies and Their Parents

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to have an in-depth understanding of delivery room nurses'experiences of caring for stillborn babies and their parents. METHODS: After obtaining approval from the Institutional Review Board, data were collected from March 1 to August 30, 2016. A total of six nurses participated in the study. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted and the data subsequently analyzed. RESULTS: Using thematic analysis, six themes were defined and refined: Emotional distress as a result of encountering stillborn babies; Caring for the deceased baby; Concerns for the mother's pain; Consideration for the father; Conflicts between accepting and dismissing parents' requests; and Strong mindset for the stillborn babies and their parents. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the nurses' experiences of caring for stillborn babies and their parents might be a difficult and lonely process. However, it could also be a process of attaining maturity by finding meaning and value in one's work. It would be helpful for the delivery room nurses to share examples of effective communication, train through simulation, and learn useful strategies that each nurse can use