Challenges in Establishing Optimal Pediatric Palliative Care at the University Hospital in Slovenia
Title
Challenges in Establishing Optimal Pediatric Palliative Care at the University Hospital in Slovenia
Creator
Meglic J; Lisec A; Lepej D; Loboda T; Bertok S; Lesnik MP; Kreft HI; Ostir M; Ponjevic T; Meglic A
Identifier
Publisher
European Journal of Pediatrics
Date
2023
Subject
Palliative Therapy; Slovenia; university hospital; Article; Awareness; Child; clinical practice; doctor nurse relation; Education; employee; Female; Human; library; major clinical study; Male; nurse; Palliative Care; physician; psychologist; questionnaire; self evaluation; Slovenia
Description
Abstract
The integration of pediatric palliative care (PPC) should become a standard of care for all children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. There are many barriers and misperceptions in pediatrics which hinder the early implementation of PPC. The aim of the study was to design starting points for the establishment of accessible PPC with early involvement of patients in a tertiary-level children’s hospital. An intervention, presentation, and discussion on PPC were offered by the hospital PPC team to all employees in the hospital. A total of 237 participants (physicians 30.4%, nurses 49.4%, psychologists 8.4%, and others) completed a questionnaire before and after the intervention. The personnel’s knowledge, self-assessment of their ability to perform PPC, attitude to participate in PPC, and their awareness and understanding of the need for PPC were evaluated. The results were analyzed using Pandas and SciPy libraries in Python. The knowledge, awareness, and attitude of the physicians, nurses, and other professionals improved significantly after the intervention. However, the self-assessment of their ability to perform PPC did not increase. Previous experience with the death of a patient has proven to be a stimulus for self-initiative in acquiring knowledge in PPC and was linked with a better attitude and higher awareness of the need for PPC.
Conclusions: More education and practical work tailored to the different professional profiles are needed, with adjustments for specific subspecialist areas, especially where patients could be included in early PPC. Although additional studies are needed, we identified the main directions for the further implementation of PPC in clinical practice in our setting.
The integration of pediatric palliative care (PPC) should become a standard of care for all children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses. There are many barriers and misperceptions in pediatrics which hinder the early implementation of PPC. The aim of the study was to design starting points for the establishment of accessible PPC with early involvement of patients in a tertiary-level children’s hospital. An intervention, presentation, and discussion on PPC were offered by the hospital PPC team to all employees in the hospital. A total of 237 participants (physicians 30.4%, nurses 49.4%, psychologists 8.4%, and others) completed a questionnaire before and after the intervention. The personnel’s knowledge, self-assessment of their ability to perform PPC, attitude to participate in PPC, and their awareness and understanding of the need for PPC were evaluated. The results were analyzed using Pandas and SciPy libraries in Python. The knowledge, awareness, and attitude of the physicians, nurses, and other professionals improved significantly after the intervention. However, the self-assessment of their ability to perform PPC did not increase. Previous experience with the death of a patient has proven to be a stimulus for self-initiative in acquiring knowledge in PPC and was linked with a better attitude and higher awareness of the need for PPC.
Conclusions: More education and practical work tailored to the different professional profiles are needed, with adjustments for specific subspecialist areas, especially where patients could be included in early PPC. Although additional studies are needed, we identified the main directions for the further implementation of PPC in clinical practice in our setting.
Rights
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Citation List Month
March List 2023
URL Address
Collection
Citation
Meglic J; Lisec A; Lepej D; Loboda T; Bertok S; Lesnik MP; Kreft HI; Ostir M; Ponjevic T; Meglic A, “Challenges in Establishing Optimal Pediatric Palliative Care at the University Hospital in Slovenia,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed April 26, 2024, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/18686.