I was recently part of a panel at a workshop organized by Professor Susie Kilshaw, Medical Anthropologist, University College, London (UCL) in partnership with Women in Film & Television (WFTV).
The workshop was aimed at screen writers, in the hope that NHS experts and academics could impact more accurate accounts of miscarriage in the public arena. The event fell during Baby Loss Awareness Week (BLAW 2024) and The London Film Festival. An important week for some people touched by baby loss, for nurses working in early pregnancy and also for screen writers.
For over 2 decades I have cared for women experiencing pregnancy loss and have been passionate about improving care, support and the education of nurses. I have carried out several pieces of work with Prof Kilshaw in the past, and she has had a significant impact on me as a nurse, how I see loss, how I care for my patients, educate and support other nurses. This was the first time I had been involved in influencing a wider audience. An audience that had the potential to reach an extremely wide audience. An audience I knew nothing about.
Miscarriage is a common event & will therefore touch most of our lives at some point. People’s experiences and feelings surrounding miscarriage are complex and differ massively. It is vital nurses are aware of and sensitive to this fact and that it can be an emotional topic for many, but not for all. The location of the workshop and number of attendees had very obviously been sensitively and carefully thought out by the organizer. It was held in The Garden Cinema, Covent Garden. An intimate and comfortable place that put you at ease on arrival.
The event started with introductions and aims. A background of miscarriage was given & the academic research was presented. We then watched a reel of recent TV and film portrayals of miscarriage and baby loss. Many of the portrayals were not accurate accounts of pregnancy loss or of the role of the nurse. They were all however emotional, and I was not prepared for my flow of tears. The audience then had opportunity for a Q&A session and we all spent a long time informally chatting afterwards.
The event received extremely positive feedback. There were common themes in the feedback, such as how much was learnt about loss and role of the health care professional; how the panel had the right experience to be able to comment; and how easy it was to ask them questions. It was stated they felt more comfortable about portraying differences, not making assumptions or dictating how women should feel.
I feel we achieved our aims and look forward to seeing improvements on our screens soon.
