Parents, Can you help?

[Deb Stoner]

I am meeting with area perinatal nurses at a training in two weeks. THe topic I will be discussing is what to say when a baby dies. I would like you to tell me something that you remember that a staff person did/said to you or about your baby that made you feel good or that you appreciated. This training will help nursing staff better relate to families. Thank you for your help.

[Kirk Kief]

Deb,
Go to this post, http://www.nowisleep.com/showthread.php?t=19 for some items that Cheryl listed of what not to say. And, then here is the counter part
http://www.nowisleep.com/showthread.php?t=23

[Tammy]

Deb,

One of the things I remember the nurses had done while I was in the hospital was simply coming into my room and sitting with me if I had no family around. At the time, most of my family were making Chase's funeral arrangements, so I was left alone quite a bit. It was comforting to have someone come in and sit with me for a while instead of leaving me alone trying to deal with my grief by myself. Some of them cried right along with me, even though with this profession it's pounded into your head to remain composed and professional. Sometimes doing this is just not possible, especially in circumstances as losing a baby. I realize it's not always easy for the nurses to spend that extra time in a hospital setting because there are other patients that need care too. But just making an honest effort and a little extra TLC was something I truly appreciated. It was not nesessarily what had been said, but what what done that was comfort to me.
Another thing they had done, they gave us a card with all their names signed, and little notes of comfort. I appreciated this also.
I received a special and personal letter in the mail from the nurse who was on duty at the time Chase was born. I could tell from her words she was so upset and could not understand how things could have gone so wrong in such a short period of time, while the whole time I was in labor things were going perfectly.
I received phone calls from the hospital once a day for about the first week I was back home to be sure I was doing ok, or as well as could be expected.