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. 2021 Nov;22(4):349-356.
doi: 10.1177/1751143720928898. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Bereavement in critical care: A narrative review and practice exploration of current provision of support services and future challenges

Natalie A Pattison  1 , Catherine White  2 , Nazir I Lone  3
Affiliations

Bereavement in critical care: A narrative review and practice exploration of current provision of support services and future challenges

Natalie A Pattison et al. J Intensive Care Soc. 2021 Nov.

Abstract

This special article outlines the background to bereavement in critical care and scopes the current provision and evidence for bereavement support following death in critical care. Co-authored by a family member and former critical care patient, we aim to draw out the current challenges and think about how and where support can be implemented along the bereavement pathway. We draw on the literature to examine different trajectories of dying in critical care and explore how these might impact bereavement, highlighting important points and risk factors for complicated grief. We present graphic representation of the critical junctures for bereavement in critical care. Adjustment disorders around grief are explored and the consequences for families, including the existing evidence base. Finally, we propose new areas for research in this field.

Keywords: Bereavement; critical care; dying; families; grief.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Four trajectories of death in critical care. COPD: Chronic Obstetric Pulmonary Disease.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Bereavement pathway in critical care. CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation; ED: emergency department; GP: general practitioner; ICU: intensive care unit.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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