Abstract
Paediatric intensivists routinely face life and death decisions. Increased ability to prolong life through technological advances has challenged the traditional ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. The medical decision-making process is optimised by having a physician leader and incorporating family perspectives. Physicians must maintain their commitment to the patient even after the decision to forgo life-sustaining therapy is made. In such situations, a carefully constructed, individualised management plan is necessary for the palliative care of the child. This review discusses the general ethical framework used in formulating a philosophy of care in the paediatric ICU, the dynamics of the decision-making process, and management strategies to improve end-of-life care.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 104-107 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Paediatrics and Child Health |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2007 |
Keywords
- end-of-life care
- ethics
- medical decision making
- paediatric intensive care
- palliative care