Sarah Scofield’s research while affiliated with Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and other places

What is this page?


This page lists works of an author who doesn't have a ResearchGate profile or hasn't added the works to their profile yet. It is automatically generated from public (personal) data to further our legitimate goal of comprehensive and accurate scientific recordkeeping. If you are this author and want this page removed, please let us know.

Publications (2)


Hospital Staff and Family Perspectives Regarding Quality of Pediatric Palliative Care
  • Article
  • Full-text available

December 2004

·

1,834 Reads

·

316 Citations

Pediatrics

·

Judith Larson

·

Sarah Scofield

·

[...]

·

Harvey J Cohen

Development of a pediatric palliative care program was preceded by a needs assessment that included a staff survey and family interviews regarding improving pediatric palliative care. Four hundred forty-six staff members and community physicians responded to a written survey regarding comfort and expertise in delivering end of life care. Sixty-eight family members of 44 deceased children were interviewed regarding treatment, transition to palliative care, and bereavement follow-up contact. Frequencies were generated for responses to the staff survey. Five interviewers reviewed the families' narratives and identified frequently occurring themes. Staff members reported feeling inexperienced in communicating with patients and families about end of life issues, transition to palliative care, and do not resuscitate status. Families reported distress caused by uncaring delivery of bad news and careless remarks made by staff members. Staff members reported feeling inexperienced in symptom and pain management and described occasions when pain could have been better managed. Families believed pain had been managed as well as possible despite observing their children suffer. Fifty-four percent of staff members reported that adequate support was not provided for those who treat dying children. Staff members and family members stated their desire for more support. Staff members who described their most difficult experiences caring for a dying child referenced personal pain and inadequate support most frequently. Albeit from different perspectives, staff members and family members shared common concerns and experiences regarding pediatric palliative care. These experiences emphasize the need for additional systematic study, improved education and support for staff members, and continued development of more effective and compassionate delivery of pediatric palliative care.

Download

Family Perspectives on the Quality of Pediatric Palliative Care

February 2002

·

123 Reads

·

422 Citations

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

As a prelude to establishing a Pediatric Palliative Care Program, we solicited information from families about their experiences and their suggestions for improving the quality of end-of-life care. Participants were English- and Spanish-speaking family members of deceased pediatric patients who received care at Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, Calif. Sixty-eight family members of 44 deceased children were interviewed regarding treatment, transition to palliative care, and bereavement follow-up. Four clinical social workers and one clinical psychologist reviewed the participants' responses and identified frequently occurring themes. Several areas of unsatisfactory interactions with staff were identified: confusing, inadequate, or uncaring communications regarding treatment or prognosis; preventable oversights in procedures or policies; failure to include or meet the needs of siblings and Spanish-speaking family members; and inconsistent bereavement follow-up. A discrepancy emerged between the high degree of pain described by the families and parents' perceptions that pain had been managed well. Community hospice programs are frequently poorly prepared to serve pediatric patients. There is a need to improve pediatric palliative care. Recurring themes in the family interviews suggest useful issues to consider in the development of a palliative care program.

Citations (2)


... Effective clinician-patient communication is the basis of strong therapeutic relationships and has been shown to improve health outcomes, increase patient adherence to medical recommendations, and enhance patient satisfaction with care [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Conversely, poor communication may undermine the alliance between patients and families, interfere with delivering effective clinical care, and is often cited as the reason for patient dissatisfaction [4,5,8]. ...

Reference:

Teaching pediatric cardiology fellows to communicate serious news: a pilot study
Family Perspectives on the Quality of Pediatric Palliative Care
  • Citing Article
  • February 2002

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

... Discussing end-of-life care in the PICU is a delicate and challenging process, impacting all healthcare providers and family members. The burden associated with end-of-life discussions can lead to delays, often resulting in missed opportunities to address the emotional changes and negative perceptions that families may experience [23]. A study conducted in PICUs across the United States found that approximately 75% of conversations with guardians and 80% of discussions among healthcare providers focused solely on medical problems [24]. ...

Hospital Staff and Family Perspectives Regarding Quality of Pediatric Palliative Care

Pediatrics