Canadian Pediatric Palliative Care Research Activities

Dawn Davies is co-investigator on two projects on biofeedback /relaxation training in children with cancer treatment and another with chronic pain as well as co- investigator with Dr. Ban Tsui on oral ketamine use for pain control in pediatric oncology patients

Currently, the team is involved in the development of a number of research proposals/projects:

Cultural Competence in Paediatric Palliative Care - This research will include a literature review and interviews, which aim to explore the cultural experiences and knowledge of family members, cultural groups and health care professionals.
Evaluation of a Spiritual Assessment Inventory Tool Using Personal Digital Assistant Technology - Based upon the concept of holistic care, a tool used in the spiritual assessment of patients and families is being developed and evaluated as part of an ongoing research interest that will assess the spiritual development in children and how this dimension of their person relates to health outcomes.
The Administration of Bisphosphonates in the Management of Advanced Cancer Pain in Children.

Project to evaluate a Teen Transition Group that Canuck Place has been offering its older teens. This project is being done in conjunction with a faculty member at UBC Faculty of Nursing
Evaluation and refinement of a tool for assessing pain in nonverbal children
Hal Siden, Susan Cadell, Betty Davies, Rose Steele and Lynn Straatman were successful in their application for a CIHR Net (New emerging team) grant on focusing on Transitions in Pediatric Palliative Care and End-of-life Care

Roberta Woodgate from the University of Manitoba is pursuing a program of research that is directed at improving the quality of life in children/youth with life threatening illness. She is pursuing several projects that will contribute to pediatric palliative care, among them are projects on the type of transitions that occur in pediatric oncology for both families and health care workers. She currently has applications into CIHR and NCIC with a group of co-researchers from across the country.

Kim Widger, (PI) Laura Beaune, Dawn Davies, Danielle Drouin, Peter Farran, Nago Humbert, Fil Nalewajek, and Marion Rattray have received a grant from CIHR for their study called: "Pediatric Palliative Care Surveillance Pilot Project". Their study will survey pediatric hospitals/hospices in Halifax, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa to gather a national picture of pediatric palliative care patients and to develop a national database for future population based information and program development initiatives.
Kim Widger published, What are the Key Components of Quality Perinatal and Pediatric End-of Life Care: A literature review; Journal of Palliative Care, Summer 2004 (20:2)

Nursing Care at the End of Life of Children and Youth : An examination of Expert Practice. Guerardo Quintinar PhD, Patricia McCarthy RN Msc(A) Lynn McCleary RN PhD They are presently waiting for funding and are planning to commence in the fall.

Mary Ellen Macdonald has received funding from the CHSRF-CIHR for a post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric palliative care under the co-supervision of Robin Cohen and Stephen Liben

Claude Cyr: Évaluation du Deuil des grands-parents (financé par la Fondation de la recherche sur les maladies infantiles. Evaluation of grandparents' grief
Marianne Olivier-d'Avignon Université Laval Bourse de maitrise des IRSC-CIHR projet : L'identification des besoins des membres de la fratrie d'enfant en fin de vie. Needs identification of siblings
Update Sept. 2005:
- Masters Thesis completed
- Began Ph.D. program in Social Work, Laval University in Québec, supported by a doctoral scholarship from IRSC-CIHR
  Thesis title: Elaboration and validation of an instrument to measure the needs of siblings of terminally ill children