Challenges of Paediatric Palliative Care in the Intensive Care Unit During the Covid-19 Pandemic Publisher Pubmed



Hasanpour M¹ ; Pouraboli B² ; Mohammadpour M³ ; Tahmasebi M⁴ ; Sabeti F⁵
Source: International Journal of Palliative Nursing Published:2021

Abstract

Background: The integration of paediatric palliative care into the Iranian health system is essential. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify the challenges of palliative care in the paediatric intensive care unit during COVID-19 through the experiences of healthcare providers. Methods: A qualitative study with content analysis approach was conducted. Fifteen physicians and nurses were selected by purposeful sampling. The semi-structured, in-depth interviews were applied in the data collection. Findings: Ten main categories were extracted from data analysis, including caring in COVID-19 , communication and family centre care , breaking bad news , palliative care training , pain and symptom management , support of the child, family and clinical team , physical environment , guidelines , specialised staff and home based palliative care . Conclusion: Palliative care in the PICU faces several challenges, especially during COVID-19, but the clinical team are making every attempt to improve the comprehensive care of children and their families. Telehealth is important in COVID-19, and education is also a key component to improve palliative care in the PICU in Iran. © 2021 MA Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved.