End-of-life care in the pediatric intensive care unit: research review and recommendations.
Improving the quality of end-of-life care has become a national health care priority. A necessary step in this process in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) is examining the knowledge, attitudes,and behaviors of pediatric critical care practitioners in this area. In addition, the perspectives of bereaved parents must be uncovered as well. In this article, the empirical data in the literature on end-of-life care in the pediatric ICU are reviewed, common ethical controversies in this environment are discussed, and promising interventions for the future are presented.
Burns
Jeffrey P
JP
Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jeffrey.burns@tch.harvard.edu
Rushton
Cynda Hylton
CH
D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005544:Forecasting; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards