Cynthia Bell, a Hospice of Michigan Institute researcher, has co-authored an article that establishes palliative care standards for children with cancer and their families.
Bell, an assistant professor in Wayne State University’s graduate nursing program, teamed with eight other researchers from around the country to gather patient, family and clinician perspectives on end-of-life needs to establish the standards. The group’s recommendations have been published in the journal Pediatric Blood and Cancer —and the researchers hope they are adopted by hospitals and cancer centers nationwide.
The study addresses palliative care and psychosocial needs for pediatric oncology patients, focusing on how disease impacts patients on a psychological and social level. It addresses how patients and families are coping, addressing their fears and interacting with others as well as the effect the disease has on their personal and family lives.
Bell, of Grand Rapids, earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University and her Master of Science in nursing and a doctor of philosophy in clinical nursing from Indiana University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship from the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, with a pediatric oncology research focus.
