Center for Safety Research

Overview

• Death in the contemporary PICU is complicated.
• Death can represent many things: therapeutic failure, respect of possible and reasonable limitations, acceptance and planning for the end of a wearying journey, and the outcome of a proud struggle—with refusal to acquiesce until the point of death.
• Academically informed practical guidance and discourse has great potential to assist frontline practitioners reflect on their practice, consider alternate approaches and provide high-quality, personalized end-of-life care.

Objective

Promoting reflection and discourse about death and dying in contemporary ICU practice.

Project

The Death and Dying in PICU supplement was published in the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine journal in August 2018. Contributions from 37 authors across 91 pages, provide informed observations, considered reflections and experiences and common-sense guidance for newer and more experienced healthcare professionals working in PICU. This work was funded by an unrestricted grant from the Robin DeVerteuil (RDV) Foundation.