Some perspectives on healthcare chaplaincy recorded for Transforming Chaplaincy initiative 

 https://soundcloud.com/michael-skaggs-289623287/transforming-chaplaincy-001-rev-canon-dr-daniel-nuzum-bcc

The impact of stillbirth on bereaved parents

I recently published this article on The impact of stillbirth on bereaved parents in PLOSONE. This study amongst parents bereaved following stillbirth identified four main areas that arose for parents following the death of their baby: 

1. maintaining hope, 
2. importance of the personhood of the baby,
3.  protective care and 
4. relationships (personal and professional).

This article draws on and gives voice to the experiences of bereaved parents following what is unquestionably one of the most difficult bereavements. These voices and experiences are important for us as health professionals to hear so that we can provide the highest quality of sensitive and professional bereavement care. 

Sadly, we can not change the reality of death, but we can change how parents and families are cared for during what is a very difficult experience. Parents in this study said that they appreciated clear communication, kindness and empathic care from healthcare professionals. Key moments such as when a diagnosis of intrauterine death or fatal anomaly was made, or the birth/ death of their baby  were remembered in vivid detail by parents. Parents experience a bewildering array of emotional distress when birth and death collide and they move from a trajectory of expectation to one of grief.

How we care for and support parents and families following stillbirth is deserves the very best of our humanity, professionalism and skill.

I would be interested in your thoughts...

This study was carried out with colleagues in the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at University College Cork. @pregnancyLossIE

Palliative Care is about more than dying

Delighted to contribute to this article on Palliative Care by June Shannon in the Irish Times this week.
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/palliative-care-is-about-more-than-dying-1.2821073

It is a privilege to work in the area of palliative care and I am inspired daily by the people I care for and work with.

SAVE THE DATE: International Stillbirth Alliance Conference comes to Cork. 22-24 September 2017

Save the date!

The Pregnancy Loss Research Group at University College Cork & Cork University Maternity Hospital are to organise and host the International Stillbirth Alliance Annual Conference in 2017.

This important conference will take place on the main campus of University College Cork in Cork City from 22-24 September 2017.

Please save the date now and follow @ISACork2017 and www.ISACork2017.com

New Irish Perinatal Bereavement Standards launched

The Health Service Executive recently published National Standards for Bereavement Care following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death in Ireland. This is a welcome development to ensure the highest level of care for bereaved parents at each of the nineteen maternity units/ hospitals in the state.

As a chaplain I was delighted to be invited to be part of the Expert Development Group and was honoured to work with over twenty other healthcare professionals over the last two years to bring this work to completion.

The challenge now is to move toward implementation which is being ably lead by Dr Keelin O'Donoghue, Consultant Obstetrician and Fetal medicine specialist at Cork University Maternity Hospital and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Cork. Dr O'Donoghue also leads our multidisciplinary Pregnancy Loss Research Group at CUMH/UCC.


On a personal note I acknowledge the support of the Diocesan Council of Cork, Cloyne and Ross and the Board of Directors of St Luke's Home, Mahon who together fund my chaplaincy post. In addition to providing pastoral ministry at Cork University Hospital and Maternity Hospital this funding has enabled me to contribute to this important national process.

A PhD is a team effort

I was recently conferred with a PhD from University College Cork. A PhD is very much a team effort and I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the encouragement and support of my family, close friends, supervisors, and wonderful work colleagues. I also wish to acknowledge the support of the St St Luke's Home Charity who generously co-fund my chaplaincy post with our Diocesan Council. Above all I thank the bereaved parents, obstetricians and chaplains who participated in my research. Your stories are treasure. Thank you

A very special specialty...

A very special speciality... An interview with journalist June Shannon from Irish Medical News on my work as a Healthcare Chaplain