Primary to dignified care is not forgetting that patients are real people, and to provide person-centered, compassionate, holistic care. Each child comes with a unique combination of emotional, social, psychological and spiritual needs in addition to their medical condition/s. Their family comes with a unique combination too. Wherever possible, we need to take the time to listen and understand the individual hopes and fears etc. Hearing and respecting their choices and having open and honest (age appropriate) communication to ensure they and their families feel valued and heard. Remember that babies are sensory and children understand far more than we often appreciate. In supporting families on these journeys, we need to stay mindful of the potential impact of our workload/workplace pressures, of becoming blinkered by clinical knowledge or ‘expertise’ or of our own assumptions or experiences. Keeping the child at the centre, working respectfully together and with the children’s UN rights in mind will help us keep dignity at the forefront of our support.
