Publication
End-of-life Decisions at Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Jordanian Nurses Attitudes and Viewpoints of Who, When, and How
Abdel Razeq N · J Pediatr Nurs · 2018
PURPOSE: To explore factors predicting neonatal nurses' attitude towards end-of-life decisions in neonates, and to describe the nurses' viewpoints on end-of-life decisions; barriers to end-of-life decision making; parents', nurses', and ethical committees' involvement in the process of end-of-life decision making; and who should regulate end-of-life decisions regarding neonates. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was applied. Sample included 279 neonatal nurses working in 24 neonatal intensive care units across Jordan. Data were collected using internationally-accepted questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in data analysis. RESULTS: Most nurses perceived that everything possible should be done to ensure a neonate's survival, even when they suffer severe prognosis (80%) and irrespective of the burden of the child's disability on the family (75%). Almost all nurses (96%) were against administering drugs with the purpose of ending the neonate's life and 63% were against continuing current treatment without adding others. The nurses' perceived effect of end-of-life decisions on their everyday life, and the importance of religious values to the nurses' personal lives, significantly predicted pro-life attitude scores. According to 80% of the nurses, legal constraints were the most significant barriers to end-of-life decision making. The majority of nurses (84%) indicated that non-religious bodies should establish end-of-life regulations for neonates. CONCLUSION: Generally, nurses' attitude was supportive of life saving decisions at end-of-life, regardless of the survival odds and the probable health outcomes of the neonates. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Neonates' end-of-life care, and parents' bereavement care, should be standard practices in every NICU, worldwide.
Synced from the TRENDS in Pediatric Palliative Care Zotero library, curated by The Siden Research Team. ICPCN does not host or verify the full text.