Conducting end-of-life studies in pediatric oncology.
Improving our ability to prevent or diminish suffering in dying children and adolescents and their families is dependent on the completion of high-quality pediatric end-of-life studies. The purpose of this article is to provide useful evidence-based strategies that have been used to implement and complete clinically useful pediatric end-of-life studies in oncology. The article describes specific peer-review and methodological challenges and links those to evidence-based solutions. The challenges and solutions described in this article are from eight end-of-life studies involving pediatric oncology patients. It is hoped that the solutions described here will benefit others in their efforts to implement pediatric end-of-life studies so that clinically useful findings will result and will improve the care of dying children and adolescents.
Hinds
Pamela S
PS
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-2794, USA. pam.hinds@stjude.org
Burghen
Elizabeth A
EA
Pritchard
Michele
M
D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D006801:Humans; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000941:ethics*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013727:Terminal Care