Staff support is essential to hospice care for children
Abstract
About our children Ann Armstrong Dailey Staff support is essential to hospice care for children The loss of a child can be a devastating experience. How- ever with appropriate hospice support, this can be trans- formed into an experience of strength and love for all indiv- iduals involved--from the child and family to the health care providers. \"By providing hospice sup- port for children and their families, you will help make that significant change from devastation to growth in grief.\"1 Hospice care provides the opportunity to help fam- ilies deal with emotional issues as they are occurring and to work through these issues in the process. Thus, it helps minimize or prevent subse- quent depression, anxiety and guilt and possible dysfunction within the family and in the lives of individual bereaved family members.2 Appropriate children's hos- pice support is a culmination of the hospice team members' efforts. In order to provide ongoing quality care, each team member must have his or her own support system in place. This support system can be on an individual or group basis. In order for pediatric hospice staff members to maintain their balance under the highly volatile and emotion-packed stresses of providing