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Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Docherty, SL; Miles, MS; Brandon, D
Published in: Pediatric nursing
July 2007

To improve care of children who die in acute care settings there is a need to develop a clearer understanding of the barriers to provision of palliative care. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences and views of health care providers in giving care to children who have undergone intensive therapies for life-threatening illnesses. A qualitative, descriptive design was conducted in the intensive care nursery, pediatric intensive care unit, and pediatric blood and marrow transplant unit at a southeastern US medical center. Purposive sampling with variation on role, years of experience, ethnicity, and gender was used to select the 17 health care providers. Findings were organized into three broad categories: (a) Palliative Care as an Added Dimension in the Illness Trajectory, (b) Palliative Care Moves Away From Curative Treatment, and (c) Professional Issues. Relevant themes were identified within each category. Most participants viewed palliative care as a changed dimension of care that is instituted once it is known that a child is dying. Three challenges in employing palliative care to acutely ill infants and children were identified: (a) finding the true dying point, (b) making the transition to palliative care, and (c) turning care over to an outside palliative care team at a critical juncture of caring. Professional issues in providing palliative care included inadequate preparation and, especially for nurses, the crossing of professional boundaries. An integrated model of palliative care is needed that is initiated at diagnosis and allows for the bidirectional transitioning across the illness and treatment trajectories.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Pediatric nursing

ISSN

0097-9805

Publication Date

July 2007

Volume

33

Issue

4

Start / End Page

335 / 341

Related Subject Headings

  • Southeastern United States
  • Self Efficacy
  • Qualitative Research
  • Professional Role
  • Professional Competence
  • Personnel, Hospital
  • Pediatrics
  • Palliative Care
  • Organizational Objectives
  • Nursing Methodology Research
 

Citation

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MLA
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Docherty, S. L., Miles, M. S., & Brandon, D. (2007). Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care. Pediatric Nursing, 33(4), 335–341.
Docherty, Sharron L., Margaret S. Miles, and Debra Brandon. “Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care.Pediatric Nursing 33, no. 4 (July 2007): 335–41.
Docherty SL, Miles MS, Brandon D. Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care. Pediatric nursing. 2007 Jul;33(4):335–41.
Docherty, Sharron L., et al. “Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care.Pediatric Nursing, vol. 33, no. 4, July 2007, pp. 335–41.
Docherty SL, Miles MS, Brandon D. Searching for "the dying point:" providers' experiences with palliative care in pediatric acute care. Pediatric nursing. 2007 Jul;33(4):335–341.
Journal cover image

Published In

Pediatric nursing

ISSN

0097-9805

Publication Date

July 2007

Volume

33

Issue

4

Start / End Page

335 / 341

Related Subject Headings

  • Southeastern United States
  • Self Efficacy
  • Qualitative Research
  • Professional Role
  • Professional Competence
  • Personnel, Hospital
  • Pediatrics
  • Palliative Care
  • Organizational Objectives
  • Nursing Methodology Research