Conflict resolution in end-of-life decisions in the neonatal unit.
End-of-life decisions are always stressful for families and professionals. As the decades pass, ethics and the law both change, even in one society, and cannot always provide perfect choices for each individual patient. Conflict should rarely arise in the neonatal unit. High-quality communication and compassion should allow professionals and families to build a team approach to the care of their child, even when the infant is imperilled. Each unit should have structures in place to deal with conflict, and every senior professional must be trained in conflict resolution so that the care of the family is outstanding.
Lothian Health, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, UK. Electronic address: ian.laing@luht.scot.nhs.uk.
Ian A
IA
Laing
D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017008:Negotiating / Q000379:methods*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*