Lactation Support as a Proxy Measure of Family-Centered Care Quality in Neonates with Life-Limiting Conditions-A Comparative Study
article; cohort analysis; controlled study; female; hospital admission; human; major clinical study; male; retrospective study; cerebral palsy; gestational age; comparative study; hospital discharge; congenital heart disease; genetic disorder; seizure; neurologic disease; lung disease; neonatal intensive care unit; clinical assessment; mortality; infant; kidney disease; extracorporeal oxygenation; health disparity; cognitive defect; length of stay; gastrointestinal disease; do not resuscitate order; breast feeding; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy; family centered care; sensory dysfunction; incurable disease; lactation; life limiting condition; breast pump; donor milk; learning disorder; nutritional deficiency
Lactation support is an important measure of Family-Centered Care (FCC) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Life-limiting conditions (LLCs) raise complex ethical care issues for providers and parents in the NICU and represent a key and often overlooked population for whom FCC is particularly important. We investigated healthcare disparities in FCC lactation support quality in infants with LLCs. Methods: A retrospective cohort of inborn infants with or without LLCs admitted to the NICU between 2015-2023 included 395 infants with 219 LLC infants and 176 matched non-LLC infants and were compared on LLC supports. Results: The LLC cohort experienced greater skin-to-skin support, but less lactation specialist visits, breast pumps provided, and human milk oral care use. LLC infants also experienced less maternal visitation, use of donor milk (LLC: 15.5%, non-LLC: 33.5%), and breastfeeds (LLC: 24.2%, non-LLC: 43.2%), with lower mean human milk provision (LLC: 36.6%, non-LLC: 67.1%). LLC infants who survived to discharge had similar human milk use as non-LLC infants (LLC: 49.8%, non-LLC: 50.6%). Conclusion: Lactation support was significantly absent for families and infants who presented with LLCs in the NICU, suggesting that policies can be altered to increase lactation support FCC quality for this population.
Brito S; Williams A; Fox J; Mohammed T; Chahin N; McCarthy K; Nubayaat L; Nunlist S; Brannon M; Xu J; Hendricks-Munoz KD
Children
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/10.3390/children10101635" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.3390/children10101635</a>
Ethics at the end of life in the newborn intensive care unit: Conversations and decisions
bioethics; conversation; decision making; ethics; neonatal intensive care unit; treatment withdrawal; active euthanasia; artificial ventilation; controlled study; critically ill patient; human; hydration; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy; infant; Infant Newborn; Intensive Care Units; Intensive Care Units Neonatal; neonatologist; newborn; nutrition; resuscitation; review
The unexpected birth of a critically ill baby raises many ethical questions for neonatologists. Some of these are obviously ethical questions, about whether to attempt resuscitation, and, if the baby is resuscitated and survives, whether to continue life sustaining interventions. Other ethical decisions are more related to what to say rather than what to do. Although less obvious, they are equally as important, and may also have far-reaching ramifications. This essay presents the story of a newborn with profound hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and reviews decisions regarding resuscitation, withdrawal of mechanical ventilation, withdrawal of medically administered nutrition and hydration, and active euthanasia. An overview of the ethical issues at work at each decision point is presented, as well as guidance regarding discussions with parents throughout the process, including specific wording. This may serve as a helpful guide for ethical deliberation, and helpful scripting for parental discussion, in similar cases.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
Mercurio MR; Gillam L
Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine
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/10.1016/j.siny.2023.101438" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/j.siny.2023.101438</a>
Perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy: a national survey of end-of-life decisions and palliative care
decision making; hypothermia; hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy; palliative therapy; article; consensus; controlled study; gestational age; grief; human; interview; nervous system; newborn; nurse; prognosis
Objective To explore end-of-life (EoL) decision-making and palliative care in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) nationwide. Methods A cross-sectional national study on moderate-to-severe HIE in newborns ≥35 weeks’ gestational age in 2015, including all 57 level III units that offered hypothermia. Forty-one questions were included to explore how the prognosis is established, as well as timing of the decision-making process, and also how ongoing palliative care is offered. Results The main difficulties in EoL decisions lie in the scarce time to make an early, accurate prognosis. Only 20% shared the neurological prognosis with the parents within 72 hours of life, and in only a third of the centres is the nurse present when the prognostic information is given to the family. Almost 50% do not use protocols to order the EoL process. Practically, all centres (91%) reported taking into account the wishes of the parents. However, in 30% the team does not always reach consensus on how the withdrawal process. Specialised psychological support is available in 54% of the hospitals; in more than 50%, interviews are not arranged to examine the grieving process with parents. Conclusions There are four areas for improvement in the comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the EoL decision in the patient with HIE: (1) the need for EoL and interdisciplinary palliative care protocols, (2) participation of nurses in the process and improvement in the nurse–physician communication, (3) psychological support for parents involved in the EoL decisions and (4) implementation of strategies to give support during the grieving process.
Arnaez J; Herranz-Rubia N; Garcia-Alix A
BMJ supportive & palliative care.
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/bmjspcare-2019-001881" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-001881</a>