Parents and Neonatal Decisions Study: Improving communication during conversations about limiting life-sustaining treatment in neonatal intensive care

 

One of the most difficult decisions parents and doctors face on a neonatal unit is moving from full intensive care to palliative care. The research team know from parents that these conversations can remain with them for the rest of their lives. 


How doctors handle these situations is usually based on their own experience or on training that involves sitting in on conversations more experienced doctors have with families. In a survey of doctors in 2014, most wanted more training in these conversations and breaking bad news, the team would like to improve the way these conversations are had by training doctors. 

The team have recorded real conversations between parents and doctors and are analysing them. The findings will then be used to create training to help doctors to understand, communicate and support parents during these difficult conversations.

The parent advisory group, research team and Sands have also created a resource to support doctors having end of life conversations with parents. The Parent advisory group share their tips about communicating sensitively and clearly and supporting the teams' wellbeing. The resource can be found at the end of this page.

You can find out more about the impact of this research on training doctors here.

 

Articles and Publications

NIHR Alert - Parents are meaningfully involved in decisions on the care of their critically ill baby when they are given options not recommendations

 

top tips for HCPs

Neonatal care: end of life conversations

Research

This information was created with parents to support doctors on the Neonatal Unit to support them when having conversations with...

Find out more about what we do and our plans for the future in our research strategy.