The experiences of physicians, nurses, and social workers providing end-of-life care in a pediatric acute-care hospital

This qualitative study explored the experiences of social workers, nurses, and physicians providing end-of-life care to children in a pediatric acute-care hospital setting. Findings demonstrated that participants experienced both professional and personal impacts of their work and employed various coping strategies under each of these domains. The acute-care setting was found to create unique challenges in providing end-of-life care. Implications for policy and practice include promotion of both individual and institutional-level coping strategies and supports that meet the various needs of staff. Implications for future research include a nuanced examination of differences in experiences among nurses, social workers, and physicians.