Obstetric fistula is a worldwide problem that is devastating for women. This qualitative descriptive study explores the experiences of Ghanaian women who sustained obstetric fistula during childbirth. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 participants. The resultant themes include cultural beliefs and practices surrounding prolonged labor in childbirth, barriers to delivering at a health care facility, and the challenges of living with obstetric fistula, including psychosocial, socioeconomic, physical, and health care access issues. Recommendations include strategies to address this complex problem, including education of men and women on safe motherhood practices, training of traditional birth attendants (TBAs), and improving access to health care.

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Many nurses grieve when patients die; however, nurses’ grief is not often acknowledged or discussed. Also, little attention is given to preparing nurses for this experience in schools of nursing and in orientations to health care organizations. The purpose of this research was to explore obstetrical and neonatal nurses’ experiences of grieving when caring for families who experience loss after perinatal death. A visual arts-informed research method through the medium of digital video was used, informed by human science nursing, grief concepts, and interpretive phenomenology. Five obstetrical nurses and one neonatal intensive care nurse who cared for bereaved families voluntarily participated in this study. Nurses shared their experiences of grieving during in-depth interviews that were professionally audio- and videotaped. Data were analyzed using an iterative process of analysis-synthesis to identify themes and patterns that were then used to guide the editing of the documentary. Thematic patterns identified throughout the data were growth and transformation amid the anguish of grief, professional and personal impact, and giving–receiving meaningful help. The thematic pattern of giving–receiving meaningful help was made up of three thematic threads: support from colleagues; providing authentic, compassionate, quality care; and education and mentorship. Nurses’ grief is significant. Nurses who grieve require acknowledgment, support, and education. Supporting staff through their grief may ultimately have a positive impact on quality of work life and home life for nurses and quality of care for bereaved families.

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The purpose of this study was to uncover the structure of the lived experience of grieving the loss of an important other using Parse's research methodology. Parse's theory of human becoming provided the nursing perspective for the study. Five participants described their experience of grieving the loss of an important other through dialogical engagement with the researcher. The researcher dwelled with the transcribed descriptions and through the processes of extraction-synthesis uncovered the structure of the lived experience of grieving the loss of an important other as an anguished suffering in devastating void amidst consoling movements away from and together with the lost one and others while confidently moving beyond personal doubts. Linked to the major concepts of Parse's theory through heuristic interpretation, the structure was abstracted as valuing the connecting-separating in transforming. The study adds to knowledge about grieving and expands Parse's theory of nursing. Recommendations for practice and further research are offered.