Factors Influencing Chinese Professional Caregivers’ Bereavement Experiences After Patient Deaths: A Secondary Qualitative Study

• Published in: Omega: Journal of Death and Dying Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 554 - 573
• Main Authors: Du, Lina, Chen, Chuqian, Yang, Changsong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2022; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Bereavement; Caregivers; Content analysis; Grief; Health care; Interviews; Nurses; Qualitative research; influencing factors; professional bereavement; healthcare system; qualitative method; culture
• ISSN: 0030-2228; 1541-3764
• DOI: 10.1177/0030222820948980

This study aims to identify the factors that influence Chinese professional caregivers’ bereavement experiences after patient deaths. Through a content analysis, the study reanalyzed the qualitative data initially collected to understand the lived experiences of professional bereavement in Mainland China. Specifically, the study assessed semi-structured interview transcripts conducted with 24 Chinese physicians and nurses and generated 15 open codes, reflecting the influencing factors. These were further categorized into four themes: dying and death conditions, professional caregivers' characteristics, professional caregivers’ involvement, and the bereaved family. The results revealed that professional bereavement experiences and the unveiled factors relate to both the personal and professional lives of the interviewees. Overall, the health care system and cultural backgrounds should be listed as influencing factors for professional bereavement experiences in addition to the aforementioned four.