title: Development of an in-home standardized end-of-life treatment program for pediatric patients dying of brain tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate an end-of-life (EOL) program related to specific outcomes (i.e., number of hospitalizations and place of death) for children with brain tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1990 to 2005, a retrospective chart review was performed related to specified outcomes for 166 children with admission for pediatric brain tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients who received the EOL program were hospitalized less often (n = 114; chi-square = 5.001 with df = 1, p <.05) than patients who did not receive the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An EOL program may improve symptom management and decrease required hospital admissions for children with brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Lesley C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Arland
authors.forename: Verna L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Hendricks-Ferguson
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Nicholas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Madden
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult