Table 2 Specific challenges and demands of paediatric palliative care
SUBCATEGORY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Time demand | High time demand for paediatric palliative care (in comparison to adult palliative care) due to involvement of the whole family system and longer illness trajectories |
Basic conditions of care | Small caseload in paediatric palliative care and a heterogeneous range of conditions bear practical and economical challenges for extensive specialist infrastructure |
Challenges for staff | Work in paediatric palliative home care as a "tightrope walk" due to the traumatising impact of the dying of a child and the involvement of the whole family system |
Qualification | Requirement of specialist qualification in the field of paediatric hospice and palliative care, as well as supervision and staff support |
Locations of care | Advantages of home care ("normality" and intimacy within familiar environment) vs. advantages of inpatient care (safety, relief of medical and nursing responsibility) |