Bereavement Professional

When I started in my role a few months ago, it was not part of my complany's procedure to have bereavement staff attend IDG.  However while listening in on a number of sessions during the virtual conference, a number of times it seemed that it is assumed that the bereavement staff attend IDG.

I was just wondering if most of you have bereavment staff at IDG?  Most of our transfer of bereavment information from the psychosocial department to the bereavement department is done through electronic records and not face to face.

We have Grief Support staff at all of our IDGs. Much like you, we have a system where information is relayed to Grief Support Services through an electronic record. However, history has shown us that sometimes the information gathered for a risk assessment does not include some of the inuendo that is found in a team discussion. In addition, Grief Support staff also are present to help identify where any given patient/family response or action may have an underlying component of grief. At those times Grief Support staff can also offer potential interventions for the patient care staff to utilize with the family. In doing so, it typically lessens the need for anticipatory visits on the part of the Grief Support staff.

We. too, have our bereavement coordinators attend IDG. It is helpful to not only in the gathering additional information and to assist in their bereavement POC but to assist the team in identifying those who may need grief support prior to the death.