Caring for Families Experiencing Perinatal Loss
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
| 2025-04-01 | - |
Program Overview
This accredited course trains healthcare professionals in caring for families experiencing perinatal loss, covering practical skills, emotional support, communication, and paperwork. It is taught by experts in the field, including Dr. Julie Jones (course leader). The course can be taken as a standalone module or contribute towards other qualifications.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This accredited course aims to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in caring for families experiencing perinatal loss based on the Perinatal Loss Proficiency Framework as developed by Dr. Julie Jones. The course encompasses content from four themes:
- Practical clinical skills
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Communication
- Paperwork and related reporting The content has been developed in collaboration with Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity) and will include contributions from external speakers and parents. This is inclusive of follow-on care, funerals, and postmortems. The course aims to equip students with the skills and confidence to promote and inform the best midwifery practice or practice in any area of healthcare involved.
Outline:
- Importance of still providing routine AN/intrapartum/PN care.
- Knowledge of terminology and legal definitions.
- Knowledge of steps to diagnose IUD.
- Knowledge of blood tests performed and reasons why.
- Knowledge of drugs used (including side effects) for IOL.
- Knowledge of pain relief options including PCA and epidural.
- Knowledge of the impact of the environment where families are cared for and recommendations/local provisions for this.
- Discussion and knowledge of the differences between delivering a baby who has died at differing gestations up to term and the effect of lack of muscle tone.
- Experience/knowledge of what a baby looks like at differing gestations including maceration: with parental consent.
- Know how to handle baby with respect and safely.
- Understand the need for you to be patient, not give false assurances and allow parents time to spend with their baby; be parent-led.
- Understand that grief is individual and not governed by gestation.
- Ensure cultural and religious beliefs are acknowledged and incorporated into the plan of care.
- How to break bad news
- Knowledge of grief reactions and individual nature of grief surrounding loss of a baby at any gestation.
- How to approach discussions around making memories and wishes of parents around delivery; meeting baby
- Become familiar with the care pathway used locally and the National Bereavement Care Pathway led by SANDS.
- Understand essential certification and documentation.
Assessment:
The assessment methods include:
- An oral presentation
- A written assignment
Teaching:
The course leader is Julie Jones. The context provides a short bio about her. It also mentions that Sara Zarasvand is a teaching staff member but no further details are given.
Careers:
This course can be taken as a standalone module or the credits can be used towards other courses such as:
- PgCert/PgDip/MSc Clinical Practice (badged awards available e.g. Midwifery)
- MSc Advanced Professional Practice (badged awards available eg Midwifery).
Other:
Course requirements: Evidence of study at Level 6 (Diploma Level). Cost and funding: The fee covers the full course cost. The fee for Sept 24 - Aug 25 is £1800. The fee for Sept 25 - Aug 26 is TBC. Credits: 40
