Mothers' Perspectives on Qualities of Care in their Relationships with Health Care Professionals: The Influence of Relational and Communicative Competencies

ABSTRACT

Research suggests that parents of seriously ill children place significant value on the relational context of their children's health care. This psychological phenomenological study explored mothers' perspectives on qualities that they found to be either helpful or unhelpful to their experiences of caregiving. Relational and communicative competencies were identified as most influential in mothers' assessments of provider care. Practitioners experienced in end-of-life care were viewed as highly supportive by the mothers in the study. Training for professionals in principles of palliative and end-of-life care is recommended for those who work with these children and families.

KEYWORDS:

• Child death
• childhood illness
• communicative competency
• end-of-life care
• palliative care
• pediatric death
• relational competency

The author acknowledges special thanks to the University of New England for funding this study, to the Jason Program staff for all your assistance, and to the mothers who allowed me to see the world, if only for a moment through their eyes.