Aim
Understanding of coping strategies that parents use before the death of their child is crucial and will enable us to best provide support. The current study aimed to explore parents’ coping strategies, and map these onto an existing theoretical framework.
Methods
Bereaved parents and parents of a child with a life‐limiting/threatening condition were interviewed to investigate coping strategies, recruited through Intensive Care Units (2 Neonatal, 2 Paediatric, 1 Paediatric Cardiac) and a children's hospice. Analysis focused on coping strategies and mapping these onto the framework.
Results
24 parents of 20 children were interviewed and identified. Parents use a variety of coping strategies (n = 25) such as humour, staying positive, advocating and staying strong for others, expressing emotions and preparing, while also living life to the full, supported by others. The themes were successfully mapped onto the theoretical framework, which focuses on the constructs of approach and avoidance, as well as coping for self and others.
Conclusion
The findings have provided a detailed account of the breadth and depth of coping strategies parents use, including those classed as avoidance. The strategies were successfully mapped onto the theoretical framework. Future research should investigate changes over times, and associations to negative long‐term outcomes.
outpatient booking service, and administrative support from the supervising consultant's secretary. Spencer's 'Hot Seating' model 1 was used to allow students opportunity to lead the consultation.Results 24 clinics were held, 56 patients (9 new, 47 followup) were seen with 42 students. 9 patients did not attend booked slots.Students were orientated to the style of outpatient clinic consultations. They were supported to review old notes and referral letters, and guided them to access guidelines or refresh their knowledge of the presenting problem.Students attended in pairs and took turns to lead consultations in 40 min slots, with 4 slots per clinic. The leading student took a history and performed an examination. They then had a choice to form a management plan in front of the patient/parent with support from the fellow, or ask the patient/parent to sit outside the room and form a plan with the fellow, before inviting them back in to discuss the plan.A Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) method was used to pilot teaching clinics in one hospital. The University also hosts students on paediatric attachments in 4 other hospitals so our aim if the pilot were successful, would be to use PDSA cycle evidence to expand teaching clinics across the hospitals in the region.Teaching clinics were well received by students with 97% reporting they found it enjoyable and 94% reporting it as useful.Conclusion Teaching clinics are an achievable and affordable way of improving the medical student experience in paediatrics but workforce pressures mean they would be challenging to provide without teaching fellows. REFERENCE 1. Spencer, J. Learning and teaching in the clinical environment.
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