Introduction: Nurses and midwives caring for newborns with lethal defects experience significant emotional stress. Understanding coping strategies and the factors influencing stress is crucial for improving their well-being and ensuring high-quality care. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the coping strategies used by nurses and midwives in stressful situations and to analyse the relationship between stress levels and selected sociodemographic and professional factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the second quarter of 2023 among 307 nurses and midwives working in neonatal and obstetric wards in the Silesian metropolitan area, Poland. A diagnostic survey method was applied using a standardised questionnaire. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the MINI-COPE Inventory were used to assess stress levels and coping mechanisms. A stratified random sampling method was employed to ensure representation from various professional backgrounds. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Spearman’s correlation, and Cohen’s d coefficient, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: High stress levels were associated with shorter professional experience, frequent exposure to lethal defects, and emotional discomfort in interactions with grieving families. The most commonly used coping strategies were active coping (M = 2.06, SD = 0.635) and planning (M = 1.95, SD = 0.590), whereas self-blame (M = 1.20, SD = 0.714, p < 0.001) and denial (M = 0.88, SD = 0.751, p < 0.001) were linked to higher stress levels. Positive reinterpretation (r = −0.211, p < 0.001) and seeking emotional support (r = −0.129, p = 0.024) correlated with lower stress levels. Nurses and midwives with secondary education reported higher stress levels compared to those with higher education (χ²(10) = 30.651, p = 0.001). Work experience played a role, with moderate stress levels most frequently observed among those with 2–5 years of professional experience (χ²(14) = 24.023, p = 0.046). Emotional involvement, particularly supporting parents during their farewell to the child (69.1%), was identified as the most stressful aspect of their work. Conclusions: Promoting adaptive coping strategies, such as positive reinterpretation and emotional support, can help reduce stress and improve the well-being of nurses and midwives. Implementing psychological support programmes and stress management training is essential for maintaining high-quality neonatal care.

There was an error in the original publication

The aim of this study was to assess how professional experience, workplace setting, and personality traits influence the type and intensity of emotions experienced by nurses and midwives while caring for newborns with lethal congenital anomalies. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2023 in five level II and III referral hospitals located in the Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. A total of 307 nurses and midwives meeting the inclusion criteria participated in the study. Data were collected using an original questionnaire comprising sociodemographic variables, self-assessed personality traits, and a scale measuring the type and intensity of emotions. Statistical analysis was conducted using Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficients (α = 0.05). The results indicated that longer professional experience was associated with increased empathy, patience, and sadness, and with decreased anger and emotional detachment. Higher levels of self-reported discomfort and frequent exposure to neonatal death were significantly correlated with intensified experiences of despair, fear, and helplessness. The findings highlight the complexity of emotional responses among perinatal healthcare professionals and underline the need for systemic emotional support and mental health strategies aimed at preventing burnout in emotionally demanding clinical settings.

Objectives: The nursing and midwifery professions are potential influences on life satisfaction and self-efficacy, especially in obstetric settings dealing with fetal demise or severe congenital anomalies. This study aimed to assess how sociodemographic factors (e.g., workplace, marital status, financial situation, occupation, and tenure) and specific job exposures (frequency of neonatal death and caregiving for newborns with lethal defects) impact life satisfaction and self-efficacy among nurses and midwives. The study further explored the role of employer-provided psychological support in influencing job satisfaction and self-efficacy. Material and methods: A diagnostic survey with a custom questionnaire, supplemented by the General Self-Efficacy Life satisfaction and self-efficacy (GSES) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), was conducted in level II and III referral centers in Poland’s Silesian region in 2023. Participants included nurses and midwives in various neonatal and obstetric departments. Statistical analyses encompassed descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Spearman correlations, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A majority of participants reported moderate to high life satisfaction (41.7%) and self-efficacy (59.0%). Key factors impacting life satisfaction included marital status, financial situation, education, tenure, and caregiving frequency for newborns with lethal defects. High self-efficacy was significantly associated with job satisfaction, tenure, and workplace environment but was unaffected by marital status, financial situation, or psychological support. Conclusions: The findings highlight the emotional burden on nurses and midwives in neonatal care. Enhanced psychological support, stress-coping training, and policy adjustments are recommended to support this workforce. Further studies should broaden regional scope and examine links between life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. Keywords: nurses midwives life satisfaction self-efficacy newborn with a lethal anomaly

In recent years, advances in prenatal diagnostics have enabled the identification of congenital abnormalities, including genetically determined disorders, at an early stage of fetal development. Diagnosing a lethal fetal anomaly affects the entire family and is often a traumatic experience for the parents. Perinatal palliative care provided by perinatal hospice is a model of specialized care for families following the prenatal diagnosis of a lethal fetal condition. After ten years of operation, we analyzed the perinatal palliative care protocol implemented in the Hospital of the Brothers Hospitallers in Katowice, a part of Bonifratres Medical Centre. We aimed to present the model of perinatal and postnatal care developed at the hospital for families receiving such support in the Silesian agglomeration. We also wanted to show the importance of perinatal palliative care provided by one team from the prenatal period through delivery until the child's death or until the pediatric hospice provides the care of the child.

The term “perinatal hospice” as a form of targeted care for pregnant women and their families in cases of diagnosed lethal fetal anomalies first appeared in the medical literature in 1997. The terminology regarding care for families expecting the birth of a sick child has evolved, ultimately adopting the currently used term perinatal palliative care. In Poland, the first model of perinatal palliative care, which included perinatal diagnostics and hospice care, was developed and implemented in 1999. In this article, the current legal status, standards, guidelines, and organization of perinatal palliative care in Poland in the first half of 2024 and present issues and needs for changes related to implementing this care have been presented. Keywords: perinatal hospice lethal fetal anomalies perinatal palliative care legal regulations standards and guidelines