Professional boundary issues in pediatric palliative care.

This article explores the hypothesis that when a child has a life-limiting illness, the interpersonal boundaries between the patient, the patient's parents, and the health care team members differ from traditional provider, patient, and parent boundaries because of the unique dynamics of palliative care in pediatrics. Providers from the Journey's Palliative Care Team at Albany Medical Center completed a brief survey about working in pediatric palliative care and what ethical challenges they have faced in trying to maintain professional boundaries as new palliative care providers. A retrospective review of survey responses and a review of relevant literature offer insight into the various concerns reported by the Journey's team. Conclusions about delivering comprehensive ethically sound palliative care services may serve as a pathway for future studies.