Abstract

Obstetricians describe feeling shocked and isolated following stillbirth. Few receive adequate training in how to care for bereaved parents or themselves. We developed a novel workshop for trainee obstetricians using applied drama techniques–in collaboration with the National Theatre of Ireland, the national training body for obstetricians and gynaecologists, and patient support groups–to teach obstetricians skills in communication and self-care around the time of stillbirth. Five workshops, delivered January-May 2018, are the focus of this evaluation. 59 senior trainees in Obstetrics attended, and 39 of these (66%) completed a post-workshop evaluation questionnaire. Most had received no prior training in caring for families experiencing antenatal (31/39, 80%) or intrapartum (34/39, 87%) stillbirth. Following the workshop there was a significant improvement in trainee’s level of confidence in breaking bad news, communicating clearly with the family when breaking bad news, recognising the emotional needs of the family, recognising their own emotional responses, and supporting their colleagues. Trainees were positive about the workshop content and delivery; 90% stated they would recommend it to a colleague. Our findings demonstrate that this novel workshop is an acceptable and appropriate way of training obstetricians in how to care for bereaved parents and/or to engage in self-care.