Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Research priorities in pediatric palliative care: a Delphi study
Rose Steele1, Harvey Bosma, Meaghen Fletcher Johnston
1School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario.
Insights
Research identified key priorities for pediatric palliative care in Canada. This includes understanding patient/parent needs, family bereavement, pain management, and end-of-life suffering alleviation.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Pediatric palliative care requires specialized expertise.
- Limited research evidence currently guides pediatric palliative care practices.
- There is a recognized need for evidence-based care in this field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish consensus among experts on critical research areas in pediatric palliative care.
- To identify and prioritize future research directions.
Main Methods:
- A Delphi technique was employed.
- An interdisciplinary panel of 14-16 Canadian researchers and clinicians participated.
- Expert consensus was achieved through iterative feedback.
Main Results:
- Four priority research areas were identified.
- Key questions focus on patient/parent needs, family bereavement support, pain/symptom management standards, and end-of-life suffering.
- Specific research questions were formulated to guide future studies.
Conclusions:
- The identified research priorities will direct future pediatric palliative care research in Canada.
- These priorities aim to improve care quality for children and families.
- Findings offer a framework for advancing evidence-based pediatric palliative care.
Background:
Pediatric palliative care is increasingly recognized to be a specialized type of care requiring specific skills and knowledge, yet, as found in several countries, there is little available research evidence on which to base care.
Objectives:
The goal of the project was to achieve consensus among palliative care practitioners and researchers regarding the identification of pertinent lines of research.
Method:
A Delphi technique was used with an interdisciplinary panel (n = 14-16) of researchers and frontline clinicians in pediatric palliative care in Canada.
Results:
Four priority research questions were identified: What matters most for patients and parents receiving pediatric palliative services? What are the bereavement needs of families in pediatric palliative care? What are the best practice standards in pain and symptom management? What are effective strategies to alleviate suffering at the end of life?
Conclusions:
These identified priorities will provide guidance and direction for research efforts in Canada, and may prove useful in providing optimal care to patients and families in pediatric palliative care.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:25Continuing Care
01:30Ethical Dilemmas II
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...