Paediatric palliative care

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Paediatric palliative care is a taboo topic in today’s society. Paediatric palliative care is a topic that society avoided and does not want to deal with. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines paediatric palliative care as palliative care is the attempt to improve the quality of life in patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses and family members through the prevention and relief of suffering with early detection and treatment of pain, physical, psychosocial, or spiritual (Liben, Wolfe & Papadatou, 2008, p. 852).

Some of the current issues surrounding paediatric palliative care is that health care providers, mainly nurses are feeling the burnout and frustrations of caring for a dying child. Many nurses have claimed to have moral and ethical distress which in turn, can lead to feelings of helplessness and anger (Morgan, 2009, p. 88). Health care providers may also feel personal pain during the care of a dying child (Morgan, 2009, p. 88). Many health care providers and families feel like there is a lack of communication about the disease and treatments the child is receiving, as well as the patients often feel like they do not have a voice about treatments (Hsiao, Evan & Zeltzer, 2007, p.361). The lack of education and knowledge about paediatric palliative care leads to society treating the subject of paediatric palliative as taboo and forbidden to talk about because no one wants to admit that children unfortunately die (Morgan, 2009, p. 87).

Research has shown that many patients will benefit from paediatric palliative care programs and education, but studies have shown that out of 3,000 hospitals in the United States, less than ten percent have programs for end-of life care based toward children (Morgan, 2009, ...

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...are of paediatric palliative child. Online resources would be beneficial for families who are in rural areas or who do not have access to many places because of the limitations on travel due to their child’s illness because everyone wants information about what is happening during this difficult time to ease some of the concerns. Inservices, IPPC, simulations, ACNs and communication are all needed in order for the health care providers to maintain and provide a therapeutic relationship with the patient and their families. With better education about paediatric palliative care, knowledge of the effects of caring for paediatric palliative care on the health care providers, communication between families, patients and health care providers about paediatric palliative care, can provide a therapeutic relationship with families and patients during a very difficult time.

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