A parent's experience of the couple relationship after child bereavement

M.Cur.The death of a child is like none other. The impact shakes the world of parents in its entire being. This research tells the story of parents' experience of the couple relationship after child bereavement. The objectives of the research are to: • explore and describe a parent's experience of the couple relationship after child bereavement; and • describe guidelines for the advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner to provide support to parents who have experienced child bereavement in order to promote their mental health through the mobilisation of resources. The paradigmatic perspective of this study is guided by the Theory for Health Promotion in Nursing (Rand Afrikaans University, Department of Nursing Science, 2002:2-8). The focus is on the whole person. A functional approach was followed based on Botes's model (Botes in Rand Afrikaans University: Department of Nursing, 2002:9-15) for nursing research. The researcher utilised a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory and contextual design (Mouton, 1996: 102). An authoethnographic strategy was implemented, & Bochner in Denzin & Lincoln, 2001:739, 747). In-depth, semi-structured, phenomenological interviews were held with parents meeting the sampling criteria. Consent for the research was obtained from the Rand Afrikaans University and informed consent was obtained from the parents volunteering to participate in the research