A Rapid Review on Shared Decision Making in Pediatric Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care: Implications for Clinical...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Palliative Care
• Bioethics
• Health Communication

Background:

• Shared decision making (SDM) is vital for aligning medical care with patient values.
• In pediatric palliative care, SDM involves surrogate decision-makers for children.
• Understanding the nuances of SDM in this context is critical for ethical and effective care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on shared decision making in pediatric inpatient palliative and end-of-life care.
• To identify key themes and challenges in applying SDM for seriously ill children.

Main Methods:

• A rapid review methodology was employed.
• Systematic screening of 118 articles identified 12 relevant studies.

Main Results:

• Key themes include the roles of family and clinicians in SDM.
• Explorative communication, transparency, and cultural factors significantly impact SDM.
• Ethical challenges inherent in pediatric SDM were identified.

Conclusions:

• Effective SDM in pediatric palliative care requires careful consideration of family and clinician roles.
• Addressing communication, transparency, cultural sensitivity, and ethical dilemmas is essential.
• Optimizing SDM enhances the quality of care and goal setting for medically complex children.