Health professionals' perceptions about the decision-making process in the care of pediatric patients.

Objective: To evaluate the perceptions of physicians, nurses and nursing technicians of their participation in the decision-making process surrounding life support limitation in terminally ill pediatric patients, with comparisons by professional category.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary public university hospital with the participation of physicians, nurses and nursing technicians. The MacArthur Admission Experience Survey Voice Scale was used to assess and quantify the perceptions of professionals who assisted 17 pediatric patients with life support limitation within 24 hours after the outcome of each patient was determined.