After years of treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, a child with a brain tumor is shown to be refractory to treatment, and a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) has been obtained
The mother has reached the stage of acceptance; the father is angry that the medical and nursing team has not been able to "save" his child. How would the multidisciplinary team best support this family? 1. Contact the on-call chaplain for consultation with the entire family, and ask him to take the father aside for additional assistance.
2. Initiate a Social Services referral.
3. Continue to include the family in planning care, and assure them that the child will be kept comfortable in the days to come.
4. Tell the father that he should have brought his child in earlier for treatment.
3
Rationale:
1. Isolating the father would only increase his anger and make him feel belittled. Contacting the chaplain would be appropriate if the family desired this.
2. This is not within the scope of Social Services.
3. Being informed and involved will be the best way to assist the father at this point. Families also might need repeated and ongoing reassurances throughout the death process.
4. Increasing the father's sense of guilt will not help diminish his anger.
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