Exploring perinatal death with midwifery students’ using a collaborative art project

Abstract Objective To explore the influence of the Amulet artwork and exhibition on midwifery students' perceptions of caring for parents experiencing perinatal death. Design A descriptive qualitative design involving face-to-face semi-structured interviews following institutional ethical approval. Setting A regional Maternity Hospital in Ireland which hosted the National Artwork and Exhibition exploring the hidden world of infant death. Participants A purposive sample of six consenting post registration midwifery students who had attended the Amulet artwork and exhibition. Findings Four core themes emerged and these were i) entering the mother's world and hearing her pain; ii) the journey of grief and connecting with the bereaved parent's unique experience; iii) facing the challenge of providing effective perinatal bereavement care; and iv) maintaining a journey of compassionate practice. Conclusion and implications for practice Exposure to, and reflection on the Amulet artwork and exhibition increased students' awareness and insight into the non-linear nature of the grieving process, and to the importance of maintaining a journey of compassionate care for parents experiencing perinatal death. The findings suggest that the use of creative women-centered strategies promote affective learning in relation to perinatal death and so may be of use to educators and maternity care providers.