Integrative Review: Parent Perspectives on Care of Their Child at the End of Life

This integrative review aims to describe parents' perspectives on end-of-life care for their children. Fifteen publications from a literature search of the Cochrane databases, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PSYCHinfo were included in the review. Recurring themes included poor communication/lack of information, strained relationships/inadequate emotional support, parental need to maintain parent/child relationships in life and death, quality of care continues after the death of the child, influence of services/planning on parent/child impacts quality of life, and the difficult decision to terminate life support. No studies were identified that focused on parents' perspectives on the care their child received at the end of life. Further research that focuses on the special needs of parents at this difficult time is needed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.