Photo Credit: andresr
The following is a summary of “Feasibility of an Intervention to Support Shared Decision-Making for Critically Ill Infants,” published in the May 2025 issue of Journal of Pediatrics by Lemmon et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to develop and pilot an intervention aimed at improving communication and decision-making for infants with critical illness.
They enrolled infants, parents, and clinicians at 1 tertiary care center. The Building Rapport, Improving Dialogue, and Growing Empathy (BRIDGE) intervention included a values clarification tool and a question prompt list that parents could choose to share with the health care team. Surveys and semi-structured interviews were completed by parents and clinicians at least 72 hours after the intervention. The primary outcome was feasibility, defined as an enrollment rate of ≥50% and a complete data collection rate of ≥80%. Secondary outcomes included acceptability of the intervention and decision-making preparedness measured by the Preparation for Decision Making (PrepDM) scale (score range: 0–100, with higher scores indicating greater preparedness). Statistical analyses were descriptive, and qualitative data were assessed using a rapid-cycle approach.
The results showed that 30 clinicians and 44 parents of 30 infants were enrolled, with an enrollment rate of 56% and a complete data collection rate of 97%. Most parents and clinicians found the intervention helpful, would recommend it to others, and expressed willingness to use it again. The median for PrepDM was 82 (IQR: 70.0–90.0) for mothers and 60 (IQR: 38–74) for fathers. Qualitative findings highlighted 4 themes: providing a scaffold, validating and affirming experience, preparing for a conversation, and facilitating connection.
Investigators concluded that the BRIDGE intervention was feasible and acceptable to both parents and clinicians and that future research should evaluate its effects on values-congruent decision-making, therapeutic alliance, and infant outcomes.
Create Post
Twitter/X Preview
Logout