Identifier

OH154-S04-i01

Interview Date

8-23-2019

Abstract

Dr. Brian Carter begins the interview describing his early career journey exploring the intersectionality of bioethics and neonatology. Dr. Carter viewed some of the early practices of intensivists to "resuscitate people until they die" as exceptionally "egregious," which prompted him to feel "an obligation. . . to make inroads [to neonatal and pediatric palliative care] via the route of ethics: making better choices, trying to discern [the] right action." Dr. Carter then describes the evolution of early practices in neonatology that were visibly distressing to babies, and how the work of him and his peers around children experiencing pain began to change best practices in the field. This scholarly work in the fields of neonatal and pediatric pain helped to create systematic changes to pediatrics, including requiring pain and symptom management for children to be a part of hospital accreditation. Dr. Carter concludes the interview by describing two of his dreams for the field of pediatric palliative care that would be beneficial to all children, families, and caregivers. The first dream is the ability for families to access hospital-level respite care for chronically and seriously ill children who require advanced medical technologies. The second dream is for increased access to pediatric hospices where children and families could go and be supported at the time of the child's death.

Collection

Pediatric Palliative Care Oral History Project

Repository

Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University in St. Louis

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