The Learning of Bereavement Care by Family Physicians: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction : The learning and practice of bereavement care by Japanese family practitioners has largely been unexplored. The purpose of this study was to clarify what family doctors thought they learned by providing care for bereaved families and how they changed because of it. Methods : Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven family practitioners working in bereaved family outpatient care at the researcherʼs hospital. A modified grounded theory approach was used for the analysis. Results : The analysis identified five thematic categories: 1) the doctorʼs feelings and thoughts before learning about bereavement care, 2) things they learned from providing bereavement care, 3) things they learned by interacting with the families and things they learned upon reflections afterward, 4) changes in themselves, and 5) changes in their feelings after learning about bereavement care. Conclusion : The doctors learned to provide bereavement care by directly interacting with families and by re-flecting on those experiences; for example, they learned to listen and be empathetic, and to understand indi-vidualsʼ personal responses to grief. As a result, they may have gained the ability to have a more rounded view of life and death and of their role in helping families adjust to the death of a family member.