Actionable companion · Leadership practice and organizational learning
From leadership research to district action: Bereavement practices and staff competencies on perinatal loss at a community-based teaching hospital
AI-assisted editorial implementation guide. Proposed district actions are separate from the original authors’ findings and recommendations. Independent peer review of this guide is not asserted.
Evidence and transfer
Education-related source: verify which participants, institutions and outcomes were actually studied before district adoption. Source publication type: research-article. License and identity checks do not establish study quality or causality.
Original authors’ abstract, reproduced under the source license:
Abstract Objective Although considerable research exists on how families experience perinatal loss, the bereavement competencies and practices at our hospital were unknown. To investigate the baseline bereavement knowledge, skills, self-awareness, and organizational support among staff working at a community-based teaching hospital, a cross-sectional study was conducted using the validated Perinatal Bereavement Care Confidence Scale (PBCCS). Methods PBCCS scores range from 1 to 5 (1 representing Strongly Disagree and 5 representing Strongly Agree). Bereavement support confidence was calculated by using mean score for each subscale to obtain total PBCCS score (score range of 32–160). A sufficient level of confidence is considered 80% or higher. Independent t-tests/ANOVA measured differences in scores for two or more groups. Results A total of 46 survey responses were received; 19 were submitted from Labor and Delivery, 13 from the Emergency Department and 5 from Maternity. 28 respondents reported that they had not received any formal education on perinatal bereavement (p = 0.006). Scores for each subscale showed low levels of bereavement support knowledge (46.45 ± 13.04), skills (23.07 ± 7.31), self-awareness (24.85 ± 7.54) and organizational support (21.73 ± 6.08). The total mean sum score was 116 (72%), indicating inadequate levels of bereavement confidence overall. Those reporting having a formal education on perinatal bereavement care were more likely to have greater self-awareness as compared to those who did not (4.23 vs 3.39, p = 0.001). Conclusion Improving perinatal loss management in a hospital setting requires a comprehensive approach that includes data-driven assessment, staff education, support, and structured protocols. Key factors influencing compassionate, dignified, and holistic bereavement care provides nursing leadership with valuable information on educational gaps to target and when formalizing protocols or workflows to address this need.
Study methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted after receiving Institutional Review Board review and determination as exempt (WCG IRB Work Order #1-1748176-1). The survey questions can be requested from the corresponding author. The study used a convenience sample recruitment method, targeting all staff from the Maternity, Labor and Delivery (L&D) and Emergency Departments (ED). Staff working in other areas of the hospital were excluded as this project focused on the three main units that are primarily involved in the care of perinatal loss and bereaved parents/families. During the study period (March 18th, 2024-October 15th, 2024) participants were sent an email describing the study purpose, risks and benefits and the survey link, leading to the consent form and questionnaire.
Limitations
No passage was selected automatically. Inspect the complete source before adopting a practice.
A 90-day district inquiry
- Days 1–15 · Appraise. Read the source methods, recruitment, comparator, outcomes and limitations. Record how the study setting differs from your district and which claim the design can support.
- Days 16–30 · Design. Choose one recurring leadership practice described in the source. Map its participants, incentives and constraints to a district setting, then design a small reversible staff pilot with an accountable owner. Agree participation, privacy protections, baseline and stopping rules before starting.
- Days 31–60 · Observe. Collect the pre-agreed measures, keep a log of implementation changes and invite confidential voluntary feedback. Preserve existing support for staff and learners.
- Days 61–90 · Decide. Record implementation fidelity, staff review time, task quality and unintended burdens against a baseline. Use a comparison team where feasible and document alternative explanations before expanding. Make a dated decision to stop, revise or extend the inquiry.
Board decision brief
Present the local problem, source setting, evidence limits, intervention, responsible owner, total cost, measured changes and uncertainty. Separate staff perceptions, implementation measures and student learning outcomes.
Attribution and reuse
Carolina Garavito; Shweta Karki; Suzanne J Rose; Josette Hartnett. Bereavement practices and staff competencies on perinatal loss at a community-based teaching hospital. PLOS One (2026-04-27). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0347348
Prepared 2026-11-07. Source authorship and DOI are preserved. The abstract and source passages are attributed extracts; this editorial guide is offered under the same CC BY 4.0 license.