Publications (2)0 Total impact
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Article: Comfort and confidence levels of health care professionals providing pediatric palliative care in the intensive care unit.
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ABSTRACT: Most childhood deaths that occur in the hospital happen in the pediatric intensive care unit. Providing pediatric palliative care in the intensive care unit comes with unique challenges due to the acute care, curative and often medically aggressive focus of these settings. In this study, 190 PICU health care professionals reported on their comfort and confidence in providing palliative care. Findings indicate that professionals report only a moderate level of comfort and confidence in this type of care in the pediatric ICU. For physicians and nurses, comfort and confidence was significantly higher for those who had practiced 8 years or more. Practitioners reported less comfort in providing psychosocial care. Implications for the social work role on the interdisciplinary team and suggestions for future research are discussed.Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care 02/2007; 3(3):39-58. -
Article: Finding the right words: using the terms allow natural death (AND) and do not resuscitate (DNR) in pediatric palliative care.
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ABSTRACT: When children are dying in a hospital setting, healthcare providers need to help families make important end-of-life care decisions. Most providers use the term do not resuscitate (DNR) when suggesting a course of action that involves not using extraordinary lifesaving measures. Some healthcare providers use the term allow natural death (AND) to discuss this same approach. This study investigated pediatric healthcare providers' beliefs about using AND as opposed to DNR. Results revealed that providers believe the term AND is somewhat ambiguous but may be more family centered.Journal for Healthcare Quality 30(5):55-63.
