Caring for a child in hospital who is approaching death, in the terminal phase, requires a focus on caring for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the child and family. Health professionals caring for these children and families may need to shift their focus from a treatment-focused approach aimed at cure or maintaining life to a comfort-focused approach. The Comfort Care Case (CCC) is a collection of resources designed for use in hospital to ease suffering and facilitate comfort within a pediatric end-of-life (EOL) context. The resources are intended to support the child, the family, and the health professionals involved in EOL care. This article describes the development, implementation, and education associated with the CCC in a tertiary pediatric hospital.
Keywords: child; comfort; end-of-life; family; palliative care.