The experiences of emergency department use by street-involved youth: Perspectives of health care and community service providers.

Street-involved (SI) youth represent a significant proportion of urban homeless populations. While previous research has identified SI youth as substantial users of emergency department (ED) services and has examined their experiences of ED care, little is known about the experiences and perceptions of the service providers who assist these youth with health care related issues. Using grounded theory, individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with 20 community agency staff serving SI youth, 17 health service providers, two hospital administrators, and two hospital security personnel regarding their experiences in providing or facilitating ED care for SI youth.

The Experiences and Perceptions of Street-Involved Youth Regarding Emergency Department Services.

Street-involved (SI) youth comprise a substantial component of the urban homeless population. Despite being significant users of hospital emergency department (ED) services for acute and ongoing health needs, little is known about their experiences of ED care and the factors affecting their ED use. This study used a grounded theory and community-based approach to examine these issues.

Bereavement care for families part 2: Evaluation of a paediatric follow-up programme.

In North America, parents are not expected to outlive their child. When they do, neighbours, co-workers, friends and family do not know what to say or do resulting in parents feeling isolated in their grief and left alone to find the support they need. The Paediatric Palliative Care team at Capital Health's, Stollery Children's Hospital (Stollery) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada began a programme of bereavement follow-ups in April 2002 to offer support to families who had experienced the death of their child.

Bereavement care for families part 1: a review of a paediatric follow-up programme.

The World Health Organization suggests that palliative care needs to offer a support system to the family during the patient's illness as well as during his/her bereavement. Bereavement follow-up services in paediatrics offer families an additional source of support in their grieving process. This article reviews the development of a bereavement follow-up programme delivered by the paediatric palliative care team and explores the lessons learnt and challenges faced in developing the programme.