“We feel like we are in the dark”: A qualitative study of the training and support needs of hospice nurses caring for children in the community

Background: Approximately half a million children in the United States suffer from serious illness each year, many of whom are eligible for hospice care. Nonetheless, few hospice agencies offer formal pediatric programs or formal pediatric training for their nurses. A recent population-based study that assessed the levels of experience and comfort of 551 hospice nurses revealed that children with serious illness enrolled in local hospice agencies often receive care from nurses who lack training, experience, and comfort in the provision of pediatric hospice and palliative care. Objective: To …