Palliative care for infants with life-limiting conditions: Integrative review
terminal care; human; palliative therapy; aged; review; advance care planning; consultation; content analysis; interpersonal communication; medical specialist; therapy; infant; nurse; English (language); chronic disease; health practitioner; primary health care; biological marker; quality improvement study
Background: Infants with life-limiting conditions are a heterogeneous population. Palliative care for infants is delivered in a diverse range of healthcare settings and by interdisciplinary primary healthcare teams, which may not involve specialist palliative care service consultation. Objective: To synthesise the literature for how palliative care is delivered for infants aged less than 12 months with life-limiting conditions. Methods: An integrative review design. MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest, Cochrane, Joanna Briggs Institute and EMBASE were searched for research published in English language, from 2010 to 2022, and peer reviewed. Critical appraisal was completed for 26 patient case series, 9 qualitative, 5 cross-sectional and 1 quality improvement study. Data analysis involved deductive content analysis and narrative approach to summarise the synthesised results. Results: 37 articles met the eligibility for inclusion. Two models of palliative care delivery were examined, demonstrating differences in care received and experiences of families and health professionals. Health professionals reported lack of palliative care education, challenges for delivering palliative care in intensive care settings and barriers to advance care planning including prognostic uncertainty and transitioning to end-of-life care. Families reported positive experiences with specialist palliative care services and challenges engaging in advance care planning discussions. Conclusion: There are complex issues surrounding the provision of palliative care for infants. Optimal palliative care should encompass a collaborative and coordinated approach between the primary healthcare teams and specialist palliative care services and prioritisation of palliative care education for nurses and physicians involved in providing palliative care to infants.
Iten R; O'Connor M; Gill FJ
BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care
2023
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2023-004435" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/spcare-2023-004435</a>
The Role of Child Life Specialists in Providing Culturally Responsive Palliative Care to the Mexican Origin Community
human; palliative therapy; pediatric patient; coping behavior; terminal care; bereavement; grief; medical specialist; health care system; bereavement support; breathing exercise; child life specialist; communication skill; cultural anthropology; family centered care; guided imagery; health care delivery; health personnel attitude; letter; medical procedures; Mexican; relaxation training; religion; scope of practice
Petkus J M
Journal of Palliative Medicine
2019
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2019.0203" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1089/jpm.2019.0203</a>
End of life care in children with neurodisability and concurrent palliative care needs: An audit of local Paediatric palliative services
child; female; human; male; palliative therapy; awareness; clinical article; terminal care; pain; school child; conference abstract; decision making; monitoring; Canavan disease; cerebral palsy; disorders of mitochondrial functions; documentation; medical specialist; nutrition; Rett syndrome; secondary health care; seizure; social care; spinal muscular atrophy
Aims A proportion of children with neurodisability will have life-limiting conditions, whereby their complex continuing needs increase the intricacy and urgency for providing comprehensive supportive care to these families. Equal access to universal and specialist paediatric palliative care (PPC) services should therefore be available depending on the child's needs. In our local borough there is a distinct group of children with complex neurodisabilities requiring input from hospital and community paediatricians, and the specialist PPC team. This audit aims to assess whether the current palliative care provided to these children is meeting the standards set by NICE guidance (2016). Methods Approval was granted by the Clinical Effectiveness Unit and audit lead locally. Standards set by NICE guidance (NG61) were used, with a target compliance of 100%. Eleven children were identified to have a neurodisability with ongoing PPC input. Primary and secondary care health records were used for collection of data, which was subsequently analysed on a password-protected spreadsheet. Results There were nine males and two females, with a mean age of 10.44 years. Underlying diagnoses include cerebral palsy (n=4); leukodystrophy (n=2); spinal muscular atrophy, movement disorder, Canavan syndrome, mitochondrial disease, and Rett syndrome (n=1 each). All children were enterally fed. Four areas of interest within the NICE guidance were identified for data collection: care planning and support, Advance Care Plan (ACP), symptom management, and input from the PPC team. Results showed that symptoms, growth and nutrition, and social care needs were addressed in all children (100%). 82% were reviewed by the PPC team in the past year; 88% had their medications adjusted accordingly when appropriate; and 91% had an ACP in place. Conclusions This audit demonstrated parents' and carers' involvement in the decision-making process for the child and their awareness of the child's life-limiting condition; adequate management of symptoms, monitoring of growth and nutrition; and the presence of an ACP in most children. Identified areas for development include having a named medical specialist for each child; regular review of the ACP by the PPC team; and clear documentation of seizure management in the child's ACP, and the stepwise management of pain.
Hqli F; Santhanam G
Archives of Disease in Childhood
2019
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2019-rcpch.457" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/archdischild-2019-rcpch.457</a>
Emerging Collaboration Between Palliative Care Specialists and Mechanical Circulatory Support Teams: A Qualitative Study
assisted circulation; medical specialist; palliative therapy; Adult; advance care planning; Article; Child; Clinical Article; decision making; Family; Heart-Assist Devices; heart failure; hospice care; Human; Medicaid; Medicare; Palliative Care; patient referral; Perception; Qualitative Research; Self-Help Devices; semi structured interview; telephone interview; ventricular assist device
Context Despite national requirements mandating collaboration between palliative care specialists and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) teams at institutions that place destination therapy ventricular assist devices, little is known about the nature of those collaborations or outcomes for patients and families. Objectives To assess how Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' regulations have changed collaboration between palliative care and MCS teams and how this collaboration is perceived by MCS team members. Methods After obtaining verbal consent, members of MCS teams were interviewed using semistructured telephone interviews. Interviews were transcribed, and content was coded and analyzed using qualitative methods. Results Models for collaboration varied widely between institutions. Several expected themes emerged from interviews: 1) improvements over time in the relationship between palliative care specialists and MCS teams, 2) palliative care specialists as facilitators of advance care planning, and 3) referral to hospice and ventricular assist device deactivation as specific areas for collaboration. Several unexpected themes also emerged: 4) the emergence of dedicated heart failure palliative care teams, 5) palliative care specialists as impartial voices in decision making, 6) palliative care specialists as extra support for MCS team members, and 7) the perception of improved patient and family experiences with palliative care team exposure. Conclusion Although the structure of collaboration varies between institutions, collaboration between MCS teams and palliative care specialists is increasing and often preceded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requirement. Overall impressions of palliative care specialists are highly positive, with perceptions of improved patient and family experience and decreased burden on MCS team members.
Sagin A; Kirkpatrick JN; Pisani BA; Fahlberg BB; Sundlof AL; O'Connor NR
Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management
2016
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.03.017" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.03.017</a>
Guidance on forgoing life-sustaining medical treatment
Apparent Life Threatening Event/th [therapy]; Life-sustaining Medical Treatment; Medical Procedures; Practice Guideline; Article; Awareness; Caregiver; Child Abuse; Child Care; Clinical Decision Making; Comatose Patient; Consensus; Consultation; Critical Illness/th [therapy]; Death; Death By Neurologic Criteria; Developmental Disorder/th [therapy]; Disease Burden; Disease Course; Ethical Decision Making; Extremely Low Gestational Age; Family Decision Making; Family Stress; Foster Care; Gestational Age; Goal Attainment; Health Belief; High Risk Population; Human; Hydration; Imminent Death; Informed Consent; Intensive Care; Interpersonal Communication; Legal Aspect; Medical Ethics; Medical Expert; Medical Information; Medically Administered Nutrition And Hydration; Medical Specialist; Neglect; Neurologic Disease/di [diagnosis]; Nutrition; Oxygenation; Pain/th [therapy]; Palliative Therapy; Patient Care Planning; Pediatrician; Priority Journal; Prognosis; Quality Of Life; Resuscitation; Shared Decision Making; Social Support; Spiritual Care; Survival; Teamwork; Terminal Care; Tissue Perfusion; Uncertain Prognosis
Pediatric health care is practiced with the goal of promoting the best interests of the child. Treatment generally is rendered under a presumption in favor of sustaining life. However, in some circumstances, the balance of benefits and burdens to the child leads to an assessment that forgoing life-sustaining medical treatment (LSMT) is ethically supportable or advisable. Parents are given wide latitude in decision-making concerning end-of-life care for their children in most situations. Collaborative decision-making around LSMT is improved by thorough communication among all stakeholders, including medical staff, the family, and the patient, when possible, throughout the evolving course of the patient's illness. Clear communication of overall goals of care is advised to promote agreed-on plans, including resuscitation status. Perceived disagreement among the team of professionals may be stressful to families. At the same time, understanding the range of professional opinions behind treatment recommendations is critical to informing family decision-making. Input from specialists in palliative care, ethics, pastoral care, and other disciplines enhances support for families and medical staff when decisions to forgo LSMT are being considered. Understanding specific applicability of institutional, regional, state, and national regulations related to forgoing LSMT is important to practice ethically within existing legal frameworks. This guidance represents an update of the 1994 statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics on forgoing LSMT.
Weise KL; Okun AL; Carter BS; Christian CW; Katz AL; Laventhal N; MacAuley RC; Moon MR; Opel DJ; Statter MB; Davies D; Dell ML; Diekema DS; Klipstein S; Elster N; Rivera F; Feudtner C; Boss RD; Hauer JM; Humphrey LM; Klick J; Linebarger JS; Parker S; Lord B; Imaizumi S; Guinn-Jones M; Flaherty EG; Gavril AR; Idzerda SM; Laskey A; Legano LA; Leventhal JM; Fortson BL; MacMillan H; Stedt E; Hurley TP
Pediatrics
2017
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a class="aap-doi-text" href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1905" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1542/peds.2017-1905</a>