Paediatric palliative care in clinical practice : ethical issues in advance care planning and end-of-life decisions

Article indépendant

MEGLIC, Anamarija | LISEC, Ajda

RATIONALE: This study examines ethical challenges faced by a paediatric palliative care (PPC) team when making end-of-life (EOL) decisions for children with life-limiting conditions. AIM: To assess the team's attitudes towards ethical issues and propose innovative solutions. METHODS: The data was collected in 2022 at the University Children's Hospital Ljubljana. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed based on team experience. Ten PPC team members participated anonymously, evaluating ethical concerns in communication, decision-making, and patient characteristics. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Ethical issues emerge when coordinating treatment opinions becomes challenging, resulting in excluding a child from PPC. Situations involving communication, differing healthcare opinions, and patient characteristics were seen as ethical issues, highlighting the importance of communication and shared decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Ethical complexities in paediatric EOL care require adept communication and interdisciplinary teamwork. Poor communication may be associated with excluding children from PPC. Innovative strategies and ongoing training are vital to address these challenges effectively, ensuring optimal care for children and their families.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jep.70094

Voir la revue «Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 31»

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