Factors Associated With the Location of Expected Pediatric Deaths in the Palliative Care Context

Abstract

Early planning and knowing which factors to consider when planning the location of death (LOD) of a palliative child, may help minimize the burden of hasty decision-making in the future, and may provide families with a sense of control. The current paper reviewed which factors were associated with pediatric LOD and further considered some emerging factors that should are important to better facilitate integrative planning. Three overarching areas of consideration related to pediatric LOD planning were identified including health service factors, familial factors and patient factors. Multiple sub-factor considerations are presented. Further, the paper presents a conceptual model of the factors found to be related to pediatric LOD planning. The limitations that exist with rigorously and empirically studying pediatric LOD preferences are apparent from the dearth of knowledge seen in the field. However, future studies should continue to examine such factors more closely to better understand the nuanced implications.

“Holding back my own emotions”: Evaluation of an online education module in pediatric end-of-life care

“…Many child deaths in hospitals occur in neonatal, pediatric, and intensive care settings ( Bloomer et al, 2016 ; Mu et al, 2019 ). Infants and children who are dying can be supported at home as well as hospital, with many factors contributing to the location of death ( Coombs et al, 2020 ). As the death of an infant or child is relatively uncommon, health care professionals’ end-of-life clinical skills are not often practiced, and clinicians can feel poorly trained and ill-prepared ( Korzeniewska-Eksterowicz et al, 2013 ; Price et al, 2017 ).…”