Abstract
Objective
To explore factors that influence professionals in deciding whether to withdraw treatment from a child and how decision making is managed amongst professionals as an individual and as a team.
Study Design
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of health professionals working at a UK Children's Hospital, with children with life-limiting illnesses whose treatment has been withdrawn. Data were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analysed using a thematic framework method.
Results
A total of 15 participants were interviewed. Five interrelated themes with associated subthemes were generated to help understand the experiences of health professionals in decision making on withdrawing a child's treatment: (1) understanding the child's best interests, (2) multidisciplinary approach, (3) external factors, (4) psychological well-being and (5) recommendations to support shared decision making.
Conclusion
A shared decision-making approach should be adopted to support professionals, children and their families to make decisions collectively.
To explore factors that influence professionals in deciding whether to withdraw treatment from a child and how decision making is managed amongst professionals as an individual and as a team.
Study Design
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of health professionals working at a UK Children's Hospital, with children with life-limiting illnesses whose treatment has been withdrawn. Data were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analysed using a thematic framework method.
Results
A total of 15 participants were interviewed. Five interrelated themes with associated subthemes were generated to help understand the experiences of health professionals in decision making on withdrawing a child's treatment: (1) understanding the child's best interests, (2) multidisciplinary approach, (3) external factors, (4) psychological well-being and (5) recommendations to support shared decision making.
Conclusion
A shared decision-making approach should be adopted to support professionals, children and their families to make decisions collectively.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 531-543 |
| Journal | Child: Care, Health & Development |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 6 Jan 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 6 Jan 2022 |
Keywords
- decision making
- healthcare
- professionals
- treatment
