Addressing the missing framework of paediatric palliative care in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Paediatric palliative care is a multidisciplinary specialty focused on enhancing the quality of life of children facing life-limiting diseases and their families. AIMS: To evaluate the impact of the lack of established paediatric palliative care on the comfort level of healthcare workers dealing with this patient population in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted across various regions of Saudi Arabia, with data collected from 230 healthcare workers using a validated self-administered questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Among the participants, 119 (51.74%) reported feeling comfortable caring for paediatric palliative care patients, while 9.13% of healthcare workers reported receiving formal training in paediatric palliative care. A significant gap exists between the demand for paediatric palliative care and available services. Integrating paediatric palliative care education into medical and nursing curricula and establishing dedicated paediatric palliative care services are essential, along with ongoing training and assessment by field experts.