Butterfly’s Embrace: A Work Systems Analysis of a Hospital-Based Perinatal Bereavement Program

Perinatal loss can occur in as many as 31% of pregnancies. The difficult grief surrounding a fetal demise impacts nurses as well as the families. Perinatal bereavement programs (PBP) in obstetrical and emergency departments can offer the potential of more supportive workflow and work environments for patients and health care professionals. Organizational responses to meet the needs of bereaved families and protect nursing staff should include structured protocols and designated bereavement care teams. We evaluated the work system of a novel PBP to explore adaptation and dissemination efforts. In effort to better understand the interactions between various work elements and the function of the PBP, we conducted a work system analysis. The analysis established an example of an interdisciplinary approach to attending to all social, technical and environmental considerations when addressing psychosocial and physical risks to both patients and staff and can be an example for interventions targeting perinatal bereavement.