(1050) Navigating the Art of Bereavement Care: Creating a Plan of Action to Facilitate Efficient End-of-Life Nursing Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Baystate Medical Center

Bereavement care is an integral part of the services that NICU nurses are trained to provide. After surveying staff and reviewing current procedures and policies, a centralized location for all bereavement supplies was created, along with a reference binder and a bedside checklist. With these changes, NICU staff now feel more comfortable providing end-of-life and bereavement care. The binder and checklist serve to guide staff in knowing what needs to be completed in a stressful and emotional situation. These resources also serve as a reminder of the education that nurses have previously received. By increasing the comfort level of NICU nurses surrounding end-of-life and bereavement care, nursing staff will be better suited to serve parents that are experiencing the unimaginable loss of a child while in the unit.