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Aims: To explore the lived experience of caring and care planning for a child with a life-limiting condition (LLC). Method: Using van Manen's conceptualisation of hermeneutic phenomenology, three focus groups were conducted with 21 paediatric palliative care professionals, and interviews were conducted with 20 parents of children with LLCs. Findings: Parents' expectations for support were raised by the diagnosis, but the reality could disappoint, which put pressures on professionals. Current service designs with respect to key working did not always coincide with family preferences. Both parents and professionals found that the care journey required them to shift personas to respond to different contexts. Conclusions: The findings are limited by the sample characteristics, but they provide insight for current policy and practice initiatives. The key worker needs to be mindful of historical care arrangements and be prepared to step into the family 'team' arrangements.

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Background: Nurses working in the high-stress environment of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk of experiencing grief after death of a baby. Design: Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, a convenience sample of nurses working in a Level IV NICU in Northern California, United States completed online surveys. Level of grief among NICU nurses, perceptions of grief support available at their institution, and past and future grief coping methods were assessed. Participants: A diverse sample of 55 NICU nurses, mean age 45.5 (SD = 11.7) years. Setting: A high-acuity NICU in one large Northern California hospital. Methods: Participant demographic data and the Revised Grief Experience Inventory were completed online. Results: Total grief scores ranged between 22 and 82 with a mean of 46.9 (SD = 17.4). Sixty percent (n = 33) moderately/strongly disagreed on adequacy of current grief support services at their institution and 81% (n = 45) reported hospital staff could benefit from additional grief support. Nurses' past grief support included family, friends, and church. Future grief resources would include family, friends, and co-workers. Participants indicated need for debriefing and additional nurse staffing resources at the time of a patient death. Conclusions: Neonatal intensive care unit nurses in our study reported experiencing grief. Debriefing and bereavement support may be helpful for nurses working in high-stress environments where there is a higher likelihood of patient death.

Dignity therapy is well received, with improvements in measures of wellbeing. However, few studies have included young people (24 years and below). This highlights a clear gap in the literature, suggesting the need to develop and evaluate a dignity therapy or related meaning-making intervention to support young people.

Objective: As medical technology has improved, there has been a marked increase in the numbers of children with life-limiting conditions being managed in the community. Few studies have evaluated the life worlds of the parents of these children. However, there have been studies that have reported feelings of isolation and depression among mothers. This article reports a study that highlights the mental health implications of the lived experience of parenting a child with a life-limiting condition.Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 parents of children with life-limiting conditions and analyzed using a phenomenological method.Results: The essential meaning of the phenomenon "the lived experience of parenting a child with a life limiting condition" is understood as a full-time emotional struggle involving six continuous constituents: inner drive, feeling responsible, psychological effects, threatened self image, social withdrawal, and a fear of reaching the bottom line.Significance of results: Very little clinical attention is focused upon the wider issues that affect parents dealing with caring for a child with a life-limiting condition.

Background: Despite the prevalence and negative consequences of mental health issues among elite athletes, studies suggest many do not seek professional help. Understanding barriers and facilitators to help-seeking is imperative to reduce the burden of mental health symptoms and disorders.