Five challenges to ethical communication for interprofessional paediatric practice: A social work perspective

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Communication
• Pediatric Social Work
• Bioethics

Background:

• Parental understanding and participation in pediatric treatment decisions are ethically imperative.
• Effective communication in pediatric clinical settings directly influences parents' capacity to engage in decision-making.
• Social workers play a pivotal role in bridging communication between families and healthcare teams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the ethical issues social workers encounter in their communication practices within a pediatric hospital.
• To identify specific communication challenges that impact the interaction between social workers, families, and interprofessional teams.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological research design.
• Semi-structured interviews with nine social workers in an Australian pediatric hospital.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify communication challenges.

Main Results:

• Social workers described dual roles: supporting families with information and collaborating with interprofessional teams.
• Five primary communication challenges were identified: holding troublesome knowledge, need for diplomacy, conciliation, managing family meetings, and systemic barriers.
• These challenges illustrate how communication can either enhance or diminish parents' experiences in pediatric care.

Conclusions:

• Understanding these communication challenges is vital for improving interprofessional and patient-clinician communication in pediatric settings.
• Addressing these identified challenges can lead to enhanced care experiences for hospitalized children and their parents.
• This research provides empirical insights into optimizing communication strategies for better family-centered pediatric care.