Resumen

ALBERTI, Marta; LORES, Rosario  y  MENCHACA, Amanda. Cuidados paliativos en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos. Rev. Méd. Urug. [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.1, pp. 50-55. ISSN 0303-3295.

Summary Applying new state of the art technology in pediatrics has brought about an unwanted phenomenon, using these techniques in patients who do not actually benefit from them. Relying on technology, within the framework of a more complex network, has resulted in the attitude our current society has toward death. Palliative care enables us to focus on patients suffering from diseases that imply a life risk, whether recovery is possible or not. Under this viewpoint, pediatric intensive care units apply palliative care practices and curative care alike, regardless of there being estimations for the occurrence of death. This approach is only attainable by means of a holistic training that hierarchizes palliative care in the units every day work, in the pediatric intensive care post- graduate courses, and in the life-long medical education activities.

Palabras llave : HOSPICE CARE; CRITICAL CARE; INTENSIVE CARE UNITS, PEDIATRIC.