Development of an in-home standardized end-of-life treatment program for pediatric patients dying of brain tumors.

Purpose To evaluate an end-of-life ( EOL) program related to specific outcomes (i.e., number of hospitalizations and place of death) for children with brain tumors. Design and Methods From 1990 to 2005, a retrospective chart review was performed related to specified outcomes for 166 children with admission for pediatric brain tumors. Results Patients who received the EOL program were hospitalized less often ( n = 114; chi-square = 5.001 with df = 1, p <.05) than patients who did not receive the program. Practice Implications An EOL program may improve symptom management and decrease required hospital admissions for children with brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]