Perceptions of Interprofessional Practitioners Regarding Pediatric Palliative Transports

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Healthcare Delivery

Background:

• Pediatric palliative transport (PPT) facilitates end-of-life care at home for critically ill children.
• Existing research highlights benefits for children and families, but practitioner perspectives are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore interprofessional practitioners' experiences with PPT.
• To understand their perceptions of PPT as an end-of-life care option.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study utilizing 8 focus groups.
• Involved interprofessional staff from intensive care units, advanced care, and transport teams.
• Content analysis identified key themes and recommendations.

Main Results:

• Five themes emerged: PPT as a care pathway, education, communication, support, and closure.
• PPT was seen as aligning with family-centered care and supporting family choices.
• Recommendations included developing better communication and care processes.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric palliative transport is a feasible, valuable, and critical end-of-life intervention.
• The positive impact on families supports continued investment in standardizing and enhancing PPT.