The development and evaluation of a holistic needs assessment within children's palliative care

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Palliative Care
• Family-Centered Support Services

Background:

• Families of children with life-limiting conditions face unique challenges requiring tailored support.
• Existing holistic assessment tools often cater to adult populations, neglecting the specific needs of pediatric patients and their families.
• A shift from 'one-size-fits-all' to personalized care planning is recognized as essential in pediatric supportive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel assessment tool designed for children and parents accessing children's hospice services.
• To address the gap in existing assessment tools that do not adequately consider the holistic needs of children with life-limiting conditions.
• To facilitate personalized care planning and improve the assessment of diverse family needs within pediatric palliative care settings.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative evaluation of a newly developed assessment tool.
• Focus on user experience and feedback from healthcare professionals interacting with the tool.
• Exploration of the tool's utility in daily practice within a children's hospice setting.

Main Results:

• Positive qualitative feedback received from healthcare professionals.
• The tool demonstrated concordance with professionals' ethical standards and improved documentation practices.
• Professionals reported enhanced communication and expressed a desire to integrate the tool into their routine practice.

Conclusions:

• The developed assessment tool is a valuable resource for children's hospices, enhancing the personalized care planning process.
• The tool effectively addresses the holistic needs of children and their families, improving professional practice.
• Successful qualitative evaluation suggests the tool's potential for widespread adoption in pediatric palliative care.