End-of-life decisions and practices as viewed by health professionals in pediatric critical care: A European survey study

End-of-Life (EOL) decision-making in paediatric critical care can be complex and heterogeneous, reflecting national culture and law as well as the relative resources provided for healthcare. This study aimed to identify similarities and differences in the experiences and attitudes of European paediatric intensive care doctors, nurses and allied health professionals about end-of-life decision-making and care. This was a cross-sectional observational study in which we distributed an electronic survey to the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) members by email and social media. The survey had three sections: (i) 16 items about attitudes to EOL care, (ii) 14 items about EOL decisions, and (iii) 18 items about EOL care in practice. We used a 5-point Likert scale and performed descriptive statistical analysis. Overall, 198 questionnaires were completed by physicians (62%), nurses (34%) and allied health professionals (4%). Nurses reported less active involvement in decision-making processes than doctors (64% vs. 95%;