At the Pregnancy Loss Research Group, we develop and/or deliver a range of evidence-based education programmes and workshops for health and social care professionals. These include 'TEARDROP',  'An Approach to Caring and Coping' and 'An Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education for Healthcare Professionals'.

Members of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group also contribute to a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development (CPD) courses in various institutions across Ireland.

TEARDROP

TEARDROP - Teaching, Excellent, pArent, peRinatal, Deaths-related, inteRactions, tO, Professionals –is a half-day workshop designed to address the educational needs of health professionals involved in maternity and newborn care in managing perinatal death and pregnancy loss. It is based on the National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death. The workshop is delivered annually/twice annually, free of charge, and is currently available to health professionals within the South South West Hospital Group. The course is accredited for CPD by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

The workshop functions as small groups of learners attending six interactive learning stations that are facilitated by experienced educators and clinicians. The learning stations focus on:

1. Communication
2. Investigation and management
3. Perinatal pathology
4. Fatal fetal anomalies: Termination of pregnancy & perinatal palliative care
5. Pregnancy after loss
6. Risk factors, audit & reporting.

The TEARDROP workshop has been well received and evaluation results highlighted its relevance and importance for health professionals. Read more about the impact of TEARDROP in our case study.

If you are an obstetrician, midwife, neonatal nurse, neonatologist, social worker or are interested in the TEARDROP from a policy or public health perspective, please contact us. 

An Approach to Caring and Coping

An Approach to Caring and Coping is a one-day workshop designed for Specialist Registrars and Registrars in Obstetrics and Gynaecology to gain a deeper understanding of stillbirth and pregnancy loss through applied drama. It was developed by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (including members of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group), Abbey Theatre, Féileacain and Patient Focus (now Sage Advocacy).

The workshop is designed to help participants feel better prepared when dealing with patients experiencing stillbirth and pregnancy loss. As well as learning how to care for bereaved parents, participants gain greater insights into their own emotional responses when faced with these tragic and often unanticipated events, enhancing their abilities to cope with the personal consequences. An evaluation found that this applied drama workshop, facilitated by the Abbey Theatre, is an acceptable and appropriate way of training obstetricians in how to care for bereaved parents and/or to engage in self-care.

For further information about this course and/or to book a place, please visit the course page on the RCPI website.

An Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education for Healthcare Professionals

An Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education is aimed at all ​healthcare professionals involved in direct clinical care and college staff. It was developed, and is led by, Dr Daniel Nuzum and is delivered in a series of three-hour workshops and lectures. The course is accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (Ireland) Ltd. and is approved for CPD/CME by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. 

The following topics are covered:

1. Introduction to action/reflection model of learning.
2. What is spirituality?
3. Personal, pastoral and professional identity
4. Communication, listening and responding skills.
5. Intra-personal and Inter personal skills, empathy,self care and teamwork.
6. Introduction to grief and loss.
7. Introduction to Reflective Practice.
8. Scope and impact of the pastoral role including boundaries, confidentiality and privacy.
9. Spiritual Care, what is it? Who does it? Spiritual pain; assessment and referral in clinical practice.
10. Review of course and integrating the course components into clinical practice.

For further information about this course and/or to book a place, please visit the course page on the Centre for Continuing Professional Development's section of this website.