Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa

Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Sullivan, Audrey Louise
Other Authors: Kling, Sharon
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2023
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867614141084073984
access_status_str Open Access
author Sullivan, Audrey Louise
author2 Kling, Sharon
author_browse Kling, Sharon
Sullivan, Audrey Louise
author_facet Kling, Sharon
Sullivan, Audrey Louise
author_sort Sullivan, Audrey Louise
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128935
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:47:19.123Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/128935 Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa Sullivan, Audrey Louise Kling, Sharon Kruger, Mariana Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Paediatrics and Child Health. Children -- Death -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Pediatric nursing -- South Africa Terminally ill children -- South Africa Children and death -- South Africa Physician and patient -- South Africa Terminal care -- South Africa Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: The death of a paediatric patient is challenging but inevitable for paediatric doctors in South Africa. This study aimed to document how paediatric registrars in South Africa experience end-of-life care and death, which coping strategies they utilise and what the barriers to and facilitators are for coping with paediatric deaths in the South African context. Method: This was a cross sectional electronic survey of university registered paediatric registrars in South Africa. A total of 326 paediatric registrars were contacted from eight out of nine universities with medical schools that offer paediatric postgraduate training from March to June 2021. Results: Paediatric registrars in South Africa had high exposure to paediatric deaths with a reported mean of 14 paediatric deaths in a year. More than a third (37/98) of paediatric registrars did not feel prepared to cope with the death of a child, and more than 40% (39/96) had considered leaving the specialty due to difficulties with coping with paediatric death. This study showed no significant difference in perceived ability to cope with a death when comparing registrar demographics, experience, or prior training. Overall, coping strategies were largely adaptive. Emotion-focused and problem focused coping styles were used equally. Individual sub facets for coping styles were scored. Acceptance (emotion-focused) scored highest, followed by religion (emotion-focused) and self-distraction (avoidant). Overtly maladaptive coping strategies scored low. The mode of death and circumstances surrounding death might impact on the registrar’s ability to cope and should be considered. Debriefing was only superficially assessed but appeared to be used inconsistently to support staff following paediatric deaths. Most participants indicated that holistic paediatric end-of life care training would be valuable. Conclusion: South African paediatric registrars experience considerably more deaths than high income country counterparts, in more challenging socioeconomic conditions. Paediatric training facilities should provide registrars with formal end-of-life care training and ensure adequate support when paediatric registrars are involved in paediatric deaths to protect their mental wellbeing and improve end-of-life care for paediatric patients and their families. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2023-11-25T12:49:17Z 2024-01-08T16:23:58Z 2023-11-25T12:49:17Z 2024-01-08T16:23:58Z 2023-05 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128935 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch University 69 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Children -- Death -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa
Pediatric nursing -- South Africa
Terminally ill children -- South Africa
Children and death -- South Africa
Physician and patient -- South Africa
Terminal care -- South Africa
Sullivan, Audrey Louise
Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title_full Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title_fullStr Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title_short Exposure to paediatric end-of-life care: the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in South Africa
title_sort exposure to paediatric end of life care the experiences and coping strategies of paediatric registrars in south africa
topic Children -- Death -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa
Pediatric nursing -- South Africa
Terminally ill children -- South Africa
Children and death -- South Africa
Physician and patient -- South Africa
Terminal care -- South Africa
url https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128935
work_keys_str_mv AT sullivanaudreylouise exposuretopaediatricendoflifecaretheexperiencesandcopingstrategiesofpaediatricregistrarsinsouthafrica