Keys to addressing ethical, moral distress in pediatric hospice

Keys to addressing ethical, moral distress in pediatric hospice 
Hospice News; by Holly Vossel; 5/6/24 
Hospices may be under-prepared to navigate the complexities in end-of-life decisions among terminally ill children, as the ethical and moral considerations related to patient autonomy are vastly different for pediatric populations compared to adults. Ethical principles of autonomy vary in pediatric populations due to a number of factors, including a child’s age, developmental stage, cognitive capacity and their spiritual background and beliefs, according to Christy Torkildson, director at the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California.