Developing Knowledge and Competence in Neonatal Palliative Care Practice

Abstract

This chapter examines the development of neonatal palliative care education and the sequence of historical events which resulted in neonatal nurses learning from professionals who initiated specialised care for the dying across the age trajectory. The chapter also examines the principles (EAPC-Children’s Palliative Care Education Task Force 2014) for staff education and has translated them into a version applicable to neonatal care. The three proposed levels of palliative care education are explored with discussion around the current education strategies and a section on how reflection and debriefing can assist in developing nurses’ practice and professional development in this specialist area.