Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital
Neonatal palliative care is a specialized area within children’s palliative care, which focusses on the needs of infants with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Nearly one quarter of global neonatal deaths occur in India, where neonatal palliative care evidence is limited. This study desc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Health Services Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329231222858 |
| _version_ | 1797348245407531008 |
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| author | Mohammad Ishak Tayoob Spandana Rayala Megan Doherty Hima Bindu Singh Madireddy Alimelu Swapna Lingaldinna Gayatri Palat |
| author_facet | Mohammad Ishak Tayoob Spandana Rayala Megan Doherty Hima Bindu Singh Madireddy Alimelu Swapna Lingaldinna Gayatri Palat |
| author_sort | Mohammad Ishak Tayoob |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neonatal palliative care is a specialized area within children’s palliative care, which focusses on the needs of infants with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Nearly one quarter of global neonatal deaths occur in India, where neonatal palliative care evidence is limited. This study describes the development and implementation of a neonatal palliative care program within a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a government hospital, describing the implementing an 8-month pilot palliative care program for neonates, including the patterns of care, and barriers and enablers of success. The hospital-based palliative care team included trained pediatric palliative care physicians, a nurse, and a counselor. There was a steady increase in monthly referrals. There were 110 referrals in total, including 89 (81%) deaths and 18 (16%) babies were alive at the time of final follow-up, 10 months after the pilot program was completed. The program addressed physical symptoms, including providing morphine, as well as psychosocial and spiritual concerns of families. A model of hospital-based palliative care for neonates can be implemented within NICUs in tertiary government hospitals in India. Neonatal palliative care programs should include partnerships with charitable organizations to support implementation costs and provide palliative care training, mentorship, and capacity-building support. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:01:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ceee1b62aeac44f28fc9299bf6c14c1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6329 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:01:58Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Services Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-ceee1b62aeac44f28fc9299bf6c14c1b2024-01-23T19:03:29ZengSAGE PublishingHealth Services Insights1178-63292024-01-011710.1177/11786329231222858Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s HospitalMohammad Ishak Tayoob0Spandana Rayala1Megan Doherty2Hima Bindu Singh3Madireddy Alimelu4Swapna Lingaldinna5Gayatri Palat6Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society, Hyderabad, IndiaPain Relief and Palliative Care Society, Hyderabad, IndiaChildren’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, CanadaNiloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, IndiaNiloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, IndiaNiloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, IndiaMehdi Nawaj Jung Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre, Hyderabad, IndiaNeonatal palliative care is a specialized area within children’s palliative care, which focusses on the needs of infants with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Nearly one quarter of global neonatal deaths occur in India, where neonatal palliative care evidence is limited. This study describes the development and implementation of a neonatal palliative care program within a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a government hospital, describing the implementing an 8-month pilot palliative care program for neonates, including the patterns of care, and barriers and enablers of success. The hospital-based palliative care team included trained pediatric palliative care physicians, a nurse, and a counselor. There was a steady increase in monthly referrals. There were 110 referrals in total, including 89 (81%) deaths and 18 (16%) babies were alive at the time of final follow-up, 10 months after the pilot program was completed. The program addressed physical symptoms, including providing morphine, as well as psychosocial and spiritual concerns of families. A model of hospital-based palliative care for neonates can be implemented within NICUs in tertiary government hospitals in India. Neonatal palliative care programs should include partnerships with charitable organizations to support implementation costs and provide palliative care training, mentorship, and capacity-building support.https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329231222858 |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Ishak Tayoob Spandana Rayala Megan Doherty Hima Bindu Singh Madireddy Alimelu Swapna Lingaldinna Gayatri Palat Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital Health Services Insights |
| title | Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital |
| title_full | Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital |
| title_fullStr | Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital |
| title_short | Palliative Care for Newborns in India: Patterns of Care in a Neonatal Palliative Care Program at a Tertiary Government Children’s Hospital |
| title_sort | palliative care for newborns in india patterns of care in a neonatal palliative care program at a tertiary government children s hospital |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786329231222858 |
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