Physicians Perceptions of Shared Decision-Making in Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care:

Background:Most children die in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units after decisions are made to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments. These decisions can be challenging when there are different views about the child’s best interest and when there is a lack of clarity about how best to also consider the interests of the family.Objective:To understand how neonatal and pediatric critical care physicians balance and integrate the interests of the child and family in decisions about life-sustaining treatments.Methods:Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 physicians from neonatal, pediatric, and cardiothoracic intensive care units in a single quaternary care pediatric hospital. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content and thematic analysis.Results:We identified 3 main themes: (1) beliefs about child and family interests; (2) disagreement about the child’s best interest; and (3) decision-making strategies, including limiting options, being directive, staying neutral, and a...