Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life
The primary moral commitment of medical care has traditionally been based on a belief in the intrinsic value and significance of human life and a desire to protect the most vulnerable from harm. In this respect, the care of newborn infants who are at the border of viability is no different. Despite...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Children |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/3/344 |
| _version_ | 1827629199060369408 |
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| author | John Wyatt Richard Hain |
| author_facet | John Wyatt Richard Hain |
| author_sort | John Wyatt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The primary moral commitment of medical care has traditionally been based on a belief in the intrinsic value and significance of human life and a desire to protect the most vulnerable from harm. In this respect, the care of newborn infants who are at the border of viability is no different. Despite the intrinsic value of the life of every newborn, all agree that there is no moral duty of doctors to provide every possible treatment where the prognosis is hopeless. Instead, every action and treatment should be orientated towards the best interests of the individual child and towards the minimisation of serious harm. Decisions about the withholding or withdrawal of life-supportive treatment should be made collaboratively between professionals and parents, with discussion starting prior to delivery wherever possible. The goals of neonatal palliative care are to prevent or minimise pain and distressing symptoms and to maximise the opportunity for private, loving interaction between the dying baby and his or her parents and the wider family. Physical contact, gentle stroking, cuddles and tender loving care are of central importance for the dying baby. At the same time, we must provide psychological support for parents and family as they go through the profound and painful life experience of accompanying their baby to death. To enable a baby to die well, pain-free and in the arms of loving parents and carers is not a failure but a triumph of neonatal care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:47:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ad1f42e30994c77916e32a36c6fe525 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:47:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Children |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ad1f42e30994c77916e32a36c6fe5252023-11-30T20:57:26ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-03-019334410.3390/children9030344Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of LifeJohn Wyatt0Richard Hain1University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UKPaediatric Palliative Medicine, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Clinical Ethics, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UKThe primary moral commitment of medical care has traditionally been based on a belief in the intrinsic value and significance of human life and a desire to protect the most vulnerable from harm. In this respect, the care of newborn infants who are at the border of viability is no different. Despite the intrinsic value of the life of every newborn, all agree that there is no moral duty of doctors to provide every possible treatment where the prognosis is hopeless. Instead, every action and treatment should be orientated towards the best interests of the individual child and towards the minimisation of serious harm. Decisions about the withholding or withdrawal of life-supportive treatment should be made collaboratively between professionals and parents, with discussion starting prior to delivery wherever possible. The goals of neonatal palliative care are to prevent or minimise pain and distressing symptoms and to maximise the opportunity for private, loving interaction between the dying baby and his or her parents and the wider family. Physical contact, gentle stroking, cuddles and tender loving care are of central importance for the dying baby. At the same time, we must provide psychological support for parents and family as they go through the profound and painful life experience of accompanying their baby to death. To enable a baby to die well, pain-free and in the arms of loving parents and carers is not a failure but a triumph of neonatal care.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/3/344neonatespalliative careEthicssymptom control |
| spellingShingle | John Wyatt Richard Hain Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life Children neonates palliative care Ethics symptom control |
| title | Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life |
| title_full | Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life |
| title_fullStr | Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life |
| title_short | Redirecting Care: Compassionate Management of the Sick or Preterm Neonate at the End of Life |
| title_sort | redirecting care compassionate management of the sick or preterm neonate at the end of life |
| topic | neonates palliative care Ethics symptom control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/3/344 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnwyatt redirectingcarecompassionatemanagementofthesickorpretermneonateattheendoflife AT richardhain redirectingcarecompassionatemanagementofthesickorpretermneonateattheendoflife |