A pilot study of an interprofessional, multicomponent bereavement follow-up program in the intensive care unit.

Background: Bereavement follow-up may help family members who experience the death o f a loved one in the ICU. However, formal bereavement programs are rare and the feasibility o f implementing these programs is not well described. Purpose: 1) To develop and administer a formal bereavement program to family members o f patients who die in the ICU consisting o f a bereavement brochure, sympathy card, telephone follow-up, and an invitation to a hospital memorial service; 2) To measure the feasibility o f implementing each o f the program components; and 3) To determine family member attitudes towards the program and each component. Methods: Pilot, observational study. Program feasibility was tracked by the study team; family attitudes were ascertained through a survey. Results: Thirty family members were enrolled in the study (94%; n=32 deaths during pilot period). The bereavement follow-up telephone call, brochure, and sympathy card were received by 50%, 77%, and 100% o f family members respectively. Response rate to the survey was 37% (n=l 1/30). The majority responded receiving the brochure (82%; n=9/l 1); and read it (90%; n=9/10). However, less than half (43%; n=3/7) found the brochure helpful. All respondents (n=l 1) reported receiving the sympathy card and finding it meaningful. Of those who received a telephone call, the majority (67%; n=4/6) found it helpful. Fourteen family members were invited to a hospital memorial service prior to receiving the survey; few (29%; n -4H 4 ) reported attending. On a scale o f 0-10, the mean rating for program helpfulness was 7 (range 5-10), with 44% rating the program 7 or higher. Conclusion: A formal bereavement program fo r family members o f patients who die in the ICU was feasible to implement; however, family appraisal o f the value o f individual program components was variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]