title: Contributions of palliative care to pediatric patient care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of pediatric palliative care (PPC) as it relates to children and families living with oncologic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Journal articles, clinical research reports, clinical guidelines, and national statistics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As new treatment protocols become available, the need for simultaneous supportive PPC, including adequate pain and symptom management, is evident. Further research and PPC program development is necessary for adherence to the current recommendation that PPC should be initiated at the time of diagnosis and continue throughout the course of a child's disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Palliative care nursing holds a specific role in the pediatric oncology setting. Registered nurses and advanced practice nurses should be adequately trained in PPC because they are in an optimal role to contribute to interdisciplinary PPC for pediatric oncology patients and their families.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mandac
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Battista
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D059408:Pain Management; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods; D010372:Pediatrics; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019452:Terminally Ill; D014481:United States
keywords: Nursing; Pediatric oncology; Pediatric palliative care