Decision-making experiences of health professionals in withdrawing treatment for children and young people: A qualitative study.
Shanara Abdin, Gemma Heath, Susan Neilson and 2 others
PMID 34994015WHAT IT FOUND
Health professionals described withdrawal decisions as slow, consensus-based processes requiring early palliative care input and full MDT attendance.
Nurses and non-clinical staff acted as bridges to families, while consultants focused on biomedical facts. Support for fathers and staff well-being were identified as critical gaps.
Key findings
01Decisions were centred on the child's best interests, requiring all treatment options to be exhausted before withdrawal was discussed.
02Non-clinical professionals and nurses facilitated communication with families, while consultants prioritised biomedical facts to keep conversations less emotional.
03Support for fathers was identified as a gap, with professionals noting that assistance was predominantly offered to mothers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study only included health professionals' views, not parents or children. Participants were recruited from a single UK hospital, limiting generalisability. The sample was predominantly white and female, with few consultants interviewed. Findings rely on retrospective recall of past experiences.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and received no financial support for the research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings reflect the patient or family experience. The study reports only the perspectives of health professionals, so it does not provide evidence of how parents or children feel about or understand these decisions.