Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI)...Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) Staff Support...
Transcript of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI)...Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) Staff Support...
Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy
(SUDI)
Staff Support Leaflet
• DebriefagainafterkeypointsintheprocessforexampletheSUDIreviewmeeting.
• Useresourcesavailablesuchastheoccupationalhealthdepartmentandbereavementcounsellingservices.TheSUDIwebsitewww.sudiscotland.org.ukhascontactdetailsforsupportservices.
Informationprovidedonthewebsitecanguidestaffastothelikelyprogressoftheinvestigationandtheappropriateactionsfortheirprofession.
Supportforparents
Thequalityofthecareandsupportthatbereavedparentsreceivemaydependonthestaffcaringforthem.Forstafftoprovideparentswithgoodindividualisedcaretheymustfeelwellsupported.ThisappliestoallmembersofstaffwhocomeintocontactwithparentsandotherfamilymemberswhohaveexperiencedaSUDI.
TheSupportforFamiliessectionoftheSUDIwebsitegivesthecontactdetailsofmanyvoluntarysupportorganisations.Someoftheseorganisationsprovideprofessionaleducationaswellassupportforbereavedfamilies.
www.sudiscotland.org.uk
Background: SuddenUnexpectedDeathinInfancy
Whenaninfantdiesunexpectedly,initiallythetermSUDIisused.Thepost-mortemexaminationiscarriedoutandlikeanyothersuddendeath,theProcuratorFiscalhastobeinformedandapoliceinvestigationstarted.
Insomecases,acauseofdeathmaybefoundduringthepost-mortemexamination,butinmanycasesthepost-mortemexaminationwillnotexplainthedeath.ThetermSUDImaythereforebegivenasaclassificationofdeathonthedeathcertificate,asthedeathisunexplained.
Onceallancillarypost-morteminvestigationsarecomplete,casesmayremainunexplained.Howeverpathologyorcircumstantialfactors,forexamplesocialorparentingissues,maybehighlightedasbeingpresent,althoughnotcausingthedeath.IntheseinstancesSUDImaybeenteredonadeathcertificate.
Onlywhenallothercausesareexcludedbyafullpost-mortemexamination,canthediagnosisofSuddenInfantDeathSyndrome(SIDS)beused.
Copingandseekinghelp
EachindividualinvolvedinaSUDIeventmayreactdifferently.Itshouldberecognisedthatclassicgriefreactionsmayaffectyouinunexpectedways.Thisisnotunusualbutitissignificantifitaffectsyourhealthorworkadversely.
Lookoutforbeingsensitivetotriggersthatwouldnotnormallyupsetyou,suchasbeinghypercriticalordefensiveofyourselforothers,questioningyourownandothers’values,sleepingpoorlyorexcessively,andeatingmoreorlessthanusual.Pleaseconsiderseekinghelp.
Youshouldavoiddiscussingthedetailsofthecasewithnon-professionalswhodonothavea‘dutyofconfidentiality’.Thismaybedifficultifyourfriendsorfamilynoticethatyouareupset,butyoushouldberespectfuloftheinfantandthefamily.
Organisationsandmanagersshouldensurethatthereisprovisionforstaffsupport,andthatthecultureoftheorganisationrecognisesthatitisbothresponsibleandprofessionalforstafftoseeksupportiftheyneedit.
Supportforstaff
BeingaffectedbyaSUDIisnotunnaturalorunprofessional.Itmaybeofbenefittoanystaffinvolvedto:
• HaveateamdebriefsoonaftertheSUDIhasoccurred,especiallyifstaffrespondedtoanemergencycallandwereinvolvedinattemptedresuscitation.