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Caring For Dying Children: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Megan Watts, Debra Mills

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The death of a child is experienced with great resistance because it is understood as an interruption in the life cycle—often seen as untimely and unfair. Pediatric nurses care for children in high-mortality environments, such as the pediatric intensive care and oncology units and, as a result, are directly affected by childhood death (Papadatou, 2000). Caring for a dying child and their family is an emotionally charged situation (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000; Catlin and Carter, 2001; Stutts and Schloemann, 2002). Nurses spend much time caring for their patients but forget to look after themselves. Caring for the nurse is …