Attending Patient Funerals as a Follow-Up Practice of Pediatric Oncologists

Bibliographic Data

ID6192248
AuthorsDelaney Schoenbine (Central Michigan University), James Gerhart (0000-0002-6661-6401, Central Michigan University), K Mclean (0000-0002-6436-9435, Wake Forest University), Katherine A Mclean (Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA), Joseph Debettencourt (Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA), Farnaz Dadra, Farnaz Dadrass (0000-0003-3861-7295, Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA), Edwin Molina (Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA), Michael Hoerger (0000-0002-4398-2820, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA), Sarah Alonzi (0000-0001-8775-7281, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, corresponding author), Paul Kent (0000-0001-5893-0313, Rush Medical College, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Year2023
Volume31
Issue1
Pages168-174
Publication date2023-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueIllness Crisis & Loss (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1054-1373 • E-ISSN: 1552-6968
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10541373211047305
OpenAlexW4200229608
LanguageEN
References cited10

This study assessed pediatric oncology professionals’ attitudes and attendance at patient funerals. Many professionals endorsed some level of agreement that funeral attendance respects professional boundaries. Nearly all pediatric oncology professionals (89.2%) reported attending a patient funeral at least once, a rate significantly higher than estimates in other specialties ( p <.001). Attitudes and rates of attendance were slightly higher in older physicians. While periodic funeral attendance may have been somewhat normative in this sample, further reflection and research is needed to ensure the risks and benefits of involvement in funerals and other family rituals and practices are better understood

Attendance · Cancer · Family medicine · Health professionals · Normative · Pediatric oncology · Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units · Medicine · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare · Internal Medicine

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