title: Palliative care in the pediatric ICU: challenges and opportunities for family-centered practice.
abstract: The culture of pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is focused on curative or life-prolonging treatments for seriously ill children. We present empirically-based approaches to family-centered palliative care that can be applied in PICUs. Palliative care in these settings is framed by larger issues related to the context of care in PICUs, the stressors experienced by families, and challenges to palliative care philosophy within this environment. Innovations from research on family-centered communication practices in adult ICU settings provide a framework for development of palliative care in PICUs and suggest avenues for social work support of critically ill children and their families.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Nursing & Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. doorenbo@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Ardith
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doorenbos
authors.forename: Taryn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lindhorst
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Starks
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aisenberg
authors.forename: J Randall
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010360:Patient Transfer; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D024382:Professional Role; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States