Grants, Research, and Projects
Pediatric Provider Response to Requests for Perceived Futile Treatments – 2008 - presentContact: Karen Trotochaud
This study will help describe pediatric healthcare providers’ responses to requests to provide life-sustaining treatments that they believe to be inappropriate or futile and to help to identify potential approaches to these requests. It will be accomplished in two phases. In Phase 1 a brief internet survey will be distributed to care providers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Providers will be asked about their experiences, their perceptions, and their feelings when they are asked to provide life-sustaining treatment they believe to be inappropriate or futile. In Phase 2 several small focus groups of providers will be held. Lead by an outside facilitator, providers will be engaged in conversations about their experiences, perceptions and feelings in these situations. They will be invited to identify potential approaches to these cases that can be considered for further review and study.
Development of an Advance Planning Guide for Children with Life Limiting Illnesses – 2003 - present
Contact: Karen Trotochaud
The purpose of this interdisciplinary project is to develop a pediatric advanced planning guide for parents of children with a life limiting illness and to conduct a small pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of this tool for addressing critical areas of end of life care planning for children. Drawing on relevant information learned from adult advance care planning guides, the Advance Planning Guide will be designed to assist healthcare providers in having earlier discussions about end of life care, provide a structure for those conversations that will help parents in making end of life decisions, and inform parents about the decisions they may face if or when their child faces a terminal condition. Follow up assessment will be conducted after the guide has been utilized by healthcare providers and parents to evaluate parents’ and healthcare providers’ satisfaction with and perceived usefulness of the guide.
