Continuing Nursing Education
Caring for Dying
Children: Assessing the
Needs of the Pediatric
Palliative Care Nurse
Darla Morgan
Pediatric palliative nursing care, both stressful and rewarding, requires coping skills, confidence, and other
attributes for successful patient care and nursing practice. Through a thorough literature review, clinical
workshops, direct observations in pediatric palliative care settings, and personal nursing experience in the
neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care, and oncology wards, this author confirmed the necessity
for studies to clarify the needs of dying pediatric patients and their families, as well as the needs of nurses
who provide their care. This article briefly reviews the history and current status of pediatric palliative
care, describes the experiences of nurses caring for dying children, explores the impact of providing palliative
care on the hospital staff, and seeks to discover possible interventions by the advanced practice nurse
to influence more positive patient care and nursing staff job satisfaction and retention.
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