Question

A Latino couple look over at what they had been told is their stillborn baby. Neither parent speaks English and none of the health care staff speak fluent Spanish. The patients arrived via the ER in preterm labor which doctors were unable to stall. The baby, born at 22 weeks, lay on the warmer, the parents could see the infants tiny chest flutter as his heart was still beating.The doctors and nurses in the room understand that there is nothing they can do to save the newborns life, but they did not communicate this information to the parents. Instead the parents are told the baby has already passed because the physicians didn't want to further upset them nor could they effectively communicate the information into the patient's dialect. The couple saw their child’s heart beating and breathing efforts, and the father spoke up. A nurse then swaddled the baby and handed it to the mother. The mom felt, "Oh my gosh, those were precious moments that were lost. I could have been holding my baby this whole time." The father was angry and yelling at the staff. Both parents falsely believed that their child had a fighting chance to survive and were crushed when it passed away some 2 hours late in respiratory distress. The parents were left with a bad impression of not only the health care providers, but hospitals altogether. How might this situation have been better handled to comfort not only the passing infant but the grieving parents? Do you think this experience will negatively impact the parents future health care?

Answer 1

Yes, this incident will negatively impact the parents future healthcare. They have grief of losing their baby. Healthcare professionals could have called the parents earlier and give the baby to his mother and try to explain them the condition of their baby. It could have protect the parents from the mental trauma. They could feel the baby that was inside the womb. Research studies indiactes that there are more chances of improvement if baby feels the warmth of his mother.