Healthcare professionals’ experiences of the barriers and facilitators to paediatric pain management in the community at end-of-life: A qualitative interview study

Abstract

CONTEXTS: Inadequate pain management in community paediatric palliative care is common. Evidence to inform improved pain management in this population is limited. OBJECTIVES: To explore the barriers and facilitators to paediatric community-based pain management for infants, children and young people at end-of-life as perceived by healthcare professionals. METHODS: A qualitative interview study was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 29 healthcare professionals; 12 nurses, five GPs, five consultants and registrar doctors, two pharmacists and five support therapists working in primary, secondary or tertiary care in the United Kingdom and involved in community end-of life care of 0-18-year-olds. RESULTS: The data corpus was analysed using an inductive thematic analysis and seven themes emerged: parents’ abilities, beliefs and wellbeing; working relationships between families and healthcare professionals, and between healthcare teams; healthcare professionals’ knowledge, education and experience; health services delivery; nature of pain treatment; and paediatric-specific factors. Across themes, the concepts of partnership working between families and healthcare professionals, and within healthcare teams, and sharing expertise were prevalent. CONCLUSION: Partnership working and trust between healthcare professionals and parents, and within healthcare teams, is needed for effective at-home paediatric palliative pain management. Community healthcare professionals require more education from experienced multidisciplinary teams to effectively manage paediatric pain at end-of-life and prevent emergency hospice or hospital admissions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.