Discuss end-of-life care

When: If a child is actively dying and the primary goal of care is to optimise comfort.

Who: Doctors, nursing or allied health staff with the child, where appropriate, and the family.

The purpose of this step is to understand how to prepare for the final stage of the child’s care. ( Appendix 1 contains a tool for recording this conversation.)

Questions you may wish to ask are:

• Where would you hope to be at this time? (For example, ‘Some families have a very strong wish to be at home. Others think they would feel safest in a hospital or hospice’.)
• Is there anywhere that you would hope not to be? (For example, ‘Some parents worry that it might happen in an ambulance, emergency department, intensive care unit’.)
• Are there any spiritual or cultural needs you would like us to know about?
• Are there any other special wishes you would like us to know about?