Bereavement Support for Children

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jo Auman

The death of a parent is one of the most significant and stressful events children can encounter. Surviving children may experience psychiatric problems and social dysfunction during their childhood and possibly throughout their adult lives. Children surviving a sibling’s death may develop behavioral problems, because no one can fill the emptiness that remains in their lives, especially if their relationship was close. It is vital to recognize the trauma experienced by children who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Adults need to know when a grieving child needs help. Literature supports the need for education and counseling for grieving children. School nurses can be instrumental in meeting these needs for school-age children by performing early, comprehensive assessments, educating school administration regarding the benefits of bereavement support, initiating appropriate referrals, and providing bereavement support.

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet K. Williams ◽  
Ann Marie McCarthy ◽  
Helga Bragadottir ◽  
David Reed

Growth disorders may be associated with difficult psychosocial adjustment, learning problems, and specific health risks. Appropriate school health programming relies on school nurses who are skilled in growth assessment, management of psychosocial and behavioral problems, and effective communication with school personnel, children, families, and health care resources. A monograph and model individualized healthcare plans were developed for growth disorders in school-age children as an educational resource for school nurses. Knowledge of growth disorders among nurses receiving the monograph was evaluated in a random sample of 336 school nurses, members of the National Association of School Nurses. Knowledge of growth assessment and individualized health care plans for children with specific growth disorders was significantly higher in the group of school nurses who received the monograph. Specific obstacles to implementing school-based health care for children with growth disorders are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105984052110190
Author(s):  
Abigail Anderson ◽  
Elizabeth M. Combs ◽  
Sheila Hurst ◽  
Cynthia F. Corbett

The primary goal of this study was to examine young adults’ perspectives about the effects of their food allergies (FAs) on their social lives from school-age to young adulthood. Young adults aged 18–21 ( n = 10) at the University of South Carolina were interviewed. A qualitative descriptive method to find themes and commonalities from transcribed interviews was used for data analysis. Identified themes were (1) feeling different and being isolated, (2) strategies for managing feeling different and being isolated, (3) strategies for managing safety, and (4) acceptance of myself and by others. School-age children attributed the school lunch allergy table as contributing to social isolation. Additionally, participants described feeling different and concerns about safety. Strategies to mitigate those experiences were identified by participants. Implications for children with FAs, their parents, school nurses, and other education and health professionals who work with children are presented.


2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 360-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda F. C. Bullock ◽  
M. Kay Libbus ◽  
Suzanne Lewis ◽  
Debra Gayer

An investigator-designed survey was used to determine if attendance at specific continuing education programs increased the perceived competence of school nurses who enrolled and completed the programs. Respondents were queried about the general content of six courses offered by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in conjunction with the University of Missouri—Columbia Sinclair School of Nursing. Specific content areas were mental health concerns, suicide prevention, diabetes management, asthma management, seizure disorders, and developing clinical skills as they pertained to school-age children. Comparing a sample of school nurses who had attended the programs with a group whom had not, a statistically significant difference was found in the participant group who reported higher self-perceived competence than the nonparticipant group in all content areas. Results of the study suggest that school nurses who attend specific continuing education programs feel more competent in practice than nurses who do not attend.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Mazzer RODRIGUES-PALUCCI ◽  
Fernanda Aguiar PIZETA ◽  
Sonia Regina LOUREIRO

Abstract The aim of this study was to verify possible associations between maternal depressive symptoms, children’s behavioral problems and perceptions regarding the family interactions, considering the reports of mothers and children. A total of 60 mothers and their school-age children were divided into two equal groups, according to the presence or absence of maternal depression indicators, and evaluated using the following instruments: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and scales of family interaction (Escalas de Qualidade nas Interações Familiares). The results indicate that maternal depressive symptoms were associated with children’s behavioral problems and with family interactions reported by mothers and children. Maternal depression and positive family interactions reported by the mothers predicted behavioral problems in children. Positive family interactions reported by the mothers also mediated the association between maternal depression and children’s behavioral problems, highlighting the relevance of interventions with mothers with depression indicators that have school-age children.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1942602X2110594
Author(s):  
Megan Roesler ◽  
Patricia Fato ◽  
Barbara Obst

School-age children are not immune to COVID-19 or the pronounced and persistent symptoms associated with a long-COVID diagnosis. Students may present with a variety of symptoms affecting their physical, cognitive, and mental health. The school community should be educated on the school-based interventions and recommendations for creating an individualized safe and successful return to school plan. As we await approval for vaccinations in school-age children younger than 12 years and continue to reposition ourselves to the waves of this pandemic and new variants of the virus, understanding the medical and educational long-term effects on our students may be a long-term need.


2022 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23
Author(s):  
Alyssa E. Erikson ◽  
Kathleen A. Puntillo ◽  
Jennifer L. McAdam

Background Losing a loved one in the intensive care unit is associated with complicated grief and increased psychologic distress for families. Providing bereavement support may help families during this time. However, little is known about the bereavement experiences of families of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit. Objective To describe the bereavement experiences of families of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit. Methods In this secondary analysis, an exploratory, descriptive design was used to understand the families’ bereavement experiences. Families from 1 cardiac intensive care unit in a tertiary medical center in the western United States participated. Audiotaped telephone interviews were conducted by using a semistructured interview guide 13 to 15 months after the patient’s death. A qualitative, descriptive technique was used for data analysis. Two independent researchers coded the interview transcripts and identified themes. Results Twelve family members were interviewed. The majority were female (n = 8, 67%), spouses (n = 10, 83%), and White (n = 10, 83%); the mean age (SD) was 58.4 (16.7) years. Five main themes emerged: (1) families’ bereavement work included both practical tasks and emotional processing; (2) families’ bereavement experiences were individual; (3) these families were resilient and found their own resources and coping mechanisms; (4) the suddenness of a patient’s death influenced families’ bereavement experiences; and (5) families’ experiences in the intensive care unit affected their bereavement. Conclusions This study provided insight into the bereavement experiences of families of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit. These findings may be useful for professionals working with bereaved families and for cardiac intensive care units considering adding bereavement support.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-23
Author(s):  
Virginia A. Reising ◽  
Heide Cygan

To meet the diverse and complex needs of school-age children, school nurses must practice student-centered, evidence-based, and quality care. As school nurses look to increase the use of data within their practice, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is an essential source of information about adolescent behaviors that contribute to leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Results from the YRBS are available at the national, state and, in some cases, school district and county level. In addition to providing an overview of the YRBS survey, this article will guide readers on how to implement the survey, access results, and apply the findings within their student population. The use of these data aids nurses who act as leaders within the school community.


2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Hatmaker

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now categorizes skin cancer as epidemic. Nearly 90% of these deadly cancers start from sun exposure during the childhood years. This makes sun exposure in school-age children a serious public health risk, also one that school nurses can address. Solar radiation is now classified as a “known human carcinogen,” with ultraviolet rays joining the ranks of other known cancer-causing elements such as tobacco, arsenic, and radon. Sun exposure to unprotected skin results in painful burns, premature aging, cataracts, and weakened immune systems. School nurses can use the new CDC guidelines along with other local and state resources to develop a specific skin cancer prevention program for their schools. They are in a pivotal position to partner with students, parents, administrators, teachers, and coaches to reduce the occurrence of skin cancer in children. The article describes one high school’s skin cancer prevention project.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiago Blanco-Vieira ◽  
Marcelo Queiroz Hoexter ◽  
Marcelo C. Batistuzzo ◽  
Pedro Alvarenga ◽  
Natalia Szejko ◽  
...  

Background: The non-clinical presentation of obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) in women may impact not only their daily lives and well-being but also increase the risk for emotional and behavioral problems in their children. This study aims to investigate the OCS dimension distribution in a large sample of mothers from a cohort of school age children and the association between these OCS dimensions with their own psychopathology, and with the presence of OCS and other psychopathology in their children.Method: Our final sample consisted of 2,511 mother-children dyads recruited from the elementary schools of two large cities. Throughout multiple regression analysis, we examined the correlations between demographic and clinical variables of mothers assessed by the Mini International Psychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-Short Version (DY-BOCS-SV) with children's psychopathology status reported by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).Results: The overall prevalence of mothers who reported experiencing at least one OCS was 40% (N = 1,004). “Aggression/violence” was the most frequent symptom dimension (32.2%), followed by the “symmetry/ordering” (16.4%) and the “sexual/religious” dimensions (13.8%). There was a significant correlation between the presence of OCS and maternal psychopathology in general (p < 0.001, r = 0.397). Not only the presence but also the severity of the mother's OCS were strongly correlated to the total (p < 0.001), internalizing (p < 0.001), externalizing (p < 0.001), and OCS subscale scores (p < 0.001) on the CBCL.Conclusion: OCS dimensions are highly prevalent in women. Presence and severity of maternal OCS are related to children's psychopathology and behavioral problems.


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