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Pediatric Palliative Care Knowledge Among Health Professionals: Baseline Assessment and Pilot of a Digital
Catarina Ferreira Nunes1, João Pedro Valente1, Constança Vasconcelos1
1Pediatrics Department, Unidade Local de Saúde Amadora e Sintra, Lisboa, Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca, EPE, Lisbon, Portugal.
Abstract:
BackgroundPediatric palliative care (PPC) requires specific knowledge and skills, yet healthcare professionals often report limited training. This study assessed baseline PPC knowledge among professionals and the impact of a brief digital educational intervention.ObjectiveTo assess healthcare professionals' knowledge of PPC and identify knowledge gaps, and explore the feasibility and effect of a non-formal digital educational intervention.MethodsA quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test pilot study was conducted in a pediatric department of a level II hospital in Lisbon, Portugal, between 2024 and 2025. Physicians and nurses completed a questionnaire assessing PPC knowledge, previous training, and perceived barriers. A digital educational campaign was implemented, followed by reassessment using the same theoretical questions. Paired analyses were performed. Data was analyzed using JASP®.Results43 professionals completed the baseline questionnaire, 21 completed both phases. Baseline theoretical knowledge was generally high, with a mean score of 86.6% ± 5.7, but lower scores were observed in symptom management. Post-intervention scores showed small numerical improvements in selected domains, although not statistically significant. Among participants with lower baseline knowledge, the overall score improved significantly after the intervention. Participants identified barriers to PPC, including negative family perceptions (65.1%), lack of support services (55.8%), and funding and resource limitations (46.5%).ConclusionsHealthcare professionals demonstrated good baseline theoretical knowledge of pediatric palliative care, although important gaps were identified. The digital flashcard-based intervention was feasible and associated with improvements in selected domains, especially among participants with lower baseline knowledge. These findings may support the value of targeted, accessible, and continuous educational strategies.