How hopeful is too hopeful? Responding to unreasonably optimistic parents.(care and treatment of sick children): An article from: Pediatric Nursing

This digital document is an article from Pediatric Nursing, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 2784 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Some parents are unreasonably hopeful, insisting on aggressive therapy for their children even when such treatment would cause additional suffering with little or no chance of success. The various sources of and influences upon such hopes are examined, and suggestions are offered about how to help these parents see the situation more realistically. This discussion covers such issues as religious beliefs, confusions about causation and responsibility, concern about how others see us, and the simple tragedy of children who die. The failure to address these hopes undermines parental decision making, leads to unnecessary tragedies, and can result in costly litigation. Communication is an essential part of dealing with unreasonable hopes, but there is also a place for medical futility judgments and limitation contracts. The goal is not to deprive parents of their hope, but to transform it into something that is both valuable and anchored in reality.

Citation Details
Title: How hopeful is too hopeful? Responding to unreasonably optimistic parents.(care and treatment of sick children)
Author: Ralph Baergen
Publication:Pediatric Nursing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 32 Issue: 5 Page: 482(3)

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