Pediatric Nurses’ Perceptions of Obstacles and Supportive Behaviors in End-of-Life Care
- 1 November 2010
- journal article
- Published by AACN Publishing in American Journal of Critical Care
- Vol. 19 (6), 543-552
- https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2009497
Abstract
Background Each year 55 000 children die in the United States, and most of these deaths occur in hospitals. The barriers and supportive behaviors in providing end-of-life care to children should be determined. Objective To determine pediatric intensive care unit nurses’ perceptions of sizes, frequencies, and magnitudes of selected obstacles and helpful behaviors in providing end-of-life care to children. Method A national sample of 1047 pediatric intensive care unit nurses who were members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses were surveyed. A 76-item questionnaire adapted from 3 similar surveys with critical care, emergency, and oncology nurses was mailed to possible participants. Nurses who did not respond to the first mailing were sent a second mailing. Nurses were asked to rate the size and frequency of listed obstacles and supportive behaviors in caring for children at the end of life. Results A total of 474 usable questionnaires were received from 985 eligible respondents (return rate, 48%). The 2 items with the highest perceived obstacle magnitude scores for size and frequency means were language barriers and parental discomfort in withholding and/or withdrawing mechanical ventilation. The highest supportive behavior item was allowing time alone with the child when he or she has died. Conclusions Pediatric intensive care unit nurses play a vital role in caring for dying children and the children’s families. Overcoming language and communication barriers with children’s families and between interdisciplinary team members could greatly improve the end-of-life experience for dying children.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Oncology Nurses' Perceptions of Obstacles and Supportive Behaviors at the End of LifeOncology Nursing Forum, 2009
- Looking Beyond Where Children Die: Determinants and Effects of Planning a Child's Location of DeathJournal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2009
- Staff Experiences with End-of-Life Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care UnitJournal of Palliative Medicine, 2008
- Barriers to Palliative Care for Children: Perceptions of Pediatric Health Care ProvidersPublished by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ,2008
- Interdisciplinary Interventions To Improve Pediatric Palliative Care and Reduce Health Care Professional SufferingJournal of Palliative Medicine, 2006
- Parent and Physician Perspectives on Quality of Care at the End of Life in Children With CancerJournal of Clinical Oncology, 2005
- New and Lingering Controversies in Pediatric End-of-Life CarePEDIATRICS, 2005
- Hospital Staff and Family Perspectives Regarding Quality of Pediatric Palliative CarePEDIATRICS, 2004
- Palliative Care for ChildrenPublished by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) ,2000
- Supportive/palliative care of children suffering from life-threatening and terminal illnessAmerican Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, 2000