Assessment of Barriers in providing end of life care to terminally ill pediatric patients from the perspective of nursing staff

Development in technology and pharmaceutical treatments have increased the number of children with life threatening conditions as well as their end of life care requirements. These children and their families require comprehensive and appropriate end of life care. Nurses are faced with challeng in their efforts to provide end of life care. This study was aimed to assessment of Barriers in providing end of life care to terminally ill pediatric patients in kerman hospital. In a descriptive analytic study،151 nursing staff were Selected with Purposive sampling. A translated modified version of (NSCCNR-EOL) and demoghraphic questionnaire was used to data collection. The highest perceived barrier magnitude score was «families not accepting poor child prognosis” (5/40) and the lowest perceived barrier magnitude score belonged to the item “Continuing to provide advanced treatment to dying child because of financial benefits to the hospital” (2/09). Between Participants’ family and closed friends’ death experience positively correlated with perceived organizational-related barriers magnitude (p=0/02). Also participants’ nursing experience positively correlated with perceived health-care professional related barriers magnitude (p=0/02). The study findings showed that lack of education and experience as well as some cultural and professional limitations may have contributed to some deficiencies in providing end of life care. So developing end of life and Palliative care education may enhance nurses’ knowledge and skill to face the challenges of end of life care. Establishing Palliative care units in the community as well as developing of palliative home care programs that focus on family members، who play an important role in children’s care may have positive effect on pediatric end of life care.