An Evaluation of a Bereavement Program in a US Research Hospital. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lynes, Chelsea; Phillips, Jayne; Keane, Cynthia; Sloan, Danetta; Berger, Ann
• Is Part Of: American journal of hospice & palliative care. Volume 33:Number 2(2016)
• Page Start: 150
• Page End: 153
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: bereavement -- grief -- loss -- program evaluation -- support -- research subjects; Hospice care -- Periodicals; Palliative treatment -- Periodicals; 362.175
• DOI: 10.1177/1049909114557538
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-9091

Abstract

The Bereavement Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center was established in 2005. The program makes contact with the next of kin on 4 occasions postnotification of death. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate program effectiveness for those individuals who we successfully made contact with on all 4 occasions (N = 39). At 12 months postnotification, the majority viewed the NIH as a source of support (56%), and the frequency of positive emotional ratings increased (59%). There are limitations to this analysis, and biases may be present. In sum, this analysis serves as an example of a successful hospital-based bereavement program that enrolls patients who have been treated at the institution in any capacity who are also patients enrolled in institutional review board-approved research protocols.