Gain a deeper understanding of stillbirth and pregnancy loss through applied drama

Designed for SpRs and Registrars in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Please note: Part of this workshop uses texts from interviews with patients who have experienced late stage stillbirth. The material can be distressing, particularly for participants who have had similar experiences, or who are coping with their own experience of grief or illness. For that reason, we like to let participants know in advance about sensitive issues that will be raised within this workshop.

This course, developed with the Abbey Theatre, Féileacain and Patient Focus will help you feel better prepared when dealing with patients experiencing stillbirth and pregnancy loss.

As well as learning how to care for bereaved parents, the workshop will provide you with a greater insight into your own emotional responses when faced with these tragic and often unanticipated events, enhancing your abilities to cope with the personal consequences.

What you will learn

This workshop will help you gain an empathic understanding of, and a more compassionate response to stillbirth and pregnancy loss so that you feel confident in providing the highest level of care to bereaved parents during a very difficult time.

As well as learning how to care for bereaved parents, the workshop will provide you with a greater insight into your own emotional responses when faced with these tragic and often unanticipated events, enhancing your abilities to cope with the personal consequences.

How this workshop will help you in your clinical practice

On completion of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate a sense of presence when breaking bad news
• Connect with parents who have experienced stillbirth
• Explore your own emotional responses to better respond to grieving parents
• Choose language, stance and gesture appropriate to the situation
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of how you speak, and what you say to parents who have experienced stillbirth
• Actively listen and appropriately respond to communicate compassionately with parents
• Build rigour and resilience to keep caring with each new encounter
• Reconcile being authentic and caring repeatedly.

What to expect

This is an applied drama workshop facilitated by the Abbey Theatre, in which the emotional experience of stillbirth will be explored. It is highly interactive.

This course is mandatory for all SpRs in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.