Boris Zernikow
Biographic Data
| ID | 7625910 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Boris Zernikow |
| GIVEN NAMES | Boris |
| FAMILY NAME | Zernikow |
| SIGNATURE | ZERNIKOW B |
| AFFILIATIONS | Witten/Herdecke University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5875-3775 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 26 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Evidence for Impact
Background : In light of the increasing importance of measuring, assuring, and improving the quality of care, this study aimed to evaluate the outcome of care provided at a specialized inpatient PPC unit in consideration of the three PPC core treatment goals: (i) reduction in symptom burden, (ii) improvement of the quality of life, and (iii) strengthening caregiver competency. Methods : Prospective single-center study. Data were collected using t…
Tracheal Complications Following Prolonged Invasive Ventilation in Tracheostomized Pediatric Patients with Complex Chronic Conditions
This case series presents four pediatric patients who developed tracheal complications after prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation. The first case involved an 11-year-old girl with severe hypoxic encephalopathy who developed extensive ulcerative granulation tissue obstructing 60% of the tracheal lumen. The second case was that of a 6-year-old boy with ACTA1-related nemaline myopathy who experienced recurrent tracheal obstruction due to granul…
Dronabinol Is Not a Game Changer in Pediatric Palliative Care
Subjective positive effects could not be confirmed by more objective data. Side effects can be severe. Thus, DRB should be started in a well-monitored setting and only with clear indications
Relevance of Potential Contributing Factors for the Development and Maintenance of Irritability of Unknown Origin in Pediatric Palliative Care
Potential contributing factors (PCFs) for irritability of an unknown origin (IUO) in children with neurological conditions are identifiable through structured diagnostics. Uncertainty exists regarding the actual relevance of identified PCFs to IUO. Assessments from parents as well as nursing, psycho-social, and medical professionals were used to determine the contribution of different PCFs in the development and maintenance of IUO. For this, indi…
Participatory Design of a Medication Module in an Electronic Medical Record for Paediatric Palliative Care
The results serve as a basis for further development. Attention should be given to the reduction of display fragmentation, as it decreases cognitive load. Further approaches to evaluation should be taken
Differential Diagnosis of Cyclic Vomiting and Periodic Headaches in a Child with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt
Fourteen months after the implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter, a six-year-old boy developed recurrent, severe headaches and vomiting every three weeks. The attacks were of such severity that hospitalizations for analgesic and antiemetic therapies and intravenous rehydration and electrolyte substitution were repeatedly required. The patient was asymptomatic between the attacks. After an extensive diagnostic workup-including repea…
Exploring the Mechanisms Underlying the Effectiveness of Psychosocial Aftercare in Pediatric Chronic Pain Treatment
A newly developed specialized psychosocial aftercare program (PAC) for pediatric patients with chronic pain following an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) was found to be significantly more effective than IIPT alone. This qualitative study aimed to gain further insight into the mechanisms and prerequisites for the effectiveness of this specialized aftercare program. We conducted structured telephone interviews with patients, paren…
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Patients with Severe Neurological Impairments
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients with a severe neurologic impairment (SNI) suffer considerable morbidity and increased mortality from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). The indication and choice of antibiotic therapy for bacterial LRTIs are often challenging given the lack of evidence-based treatment recommendations for this vulnerable patient population. We conducted an observational study before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in an ei…
Evaluation of an Electronic Medical Record Module for Nursing Documentation in Paediatric Palliative Care
After adaptation of the modules based on the results, further evaluation with the participation of future users is required
Planning for Implementation Success of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record for Pediatric Palliative Care Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients require years of care across professions and sectors. Sharing treatment-related information and communicating among different PPC professionals is critical to ensure good quality of care. In Germany, this communication is mostly paper-based and prone to errors. Therefore, an electronic cross-facility health record (ECHR) was participatorily designed with users, wherein information can be shared and PPC pro…
Long-Term Outcome of Indomethacin Treatment in Pediatric Patients with Paroxysmal Hemicrania—A Case Series
Paroxysmal Hemicrania is a rare form of primary headache in children and adolescents, belonging to the group of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Patients suffer from severe, short-lasting unilateral headaches accompanied by symptoms of the autonomic system on the same side of the head. The short duration of attacks distinguishes Paroxysmal Hemicrania from other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Indomethacin is the treatment of choice, and its …
Insights into the Frequency and Distinguishing Features of Sleep Disorders in Pediatric Palliative Care Incorporating a Systematic Sleep Protocol
Currently, no concrete figures on sleep disorders and sleep characteristics in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions (LLC) and severe neurological impairment (SNI) based on pediatric palliative care professionals' assessment and following an official classification system such as the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3) exist. The ICSD-3 sleep disorders of inpatient children and adolescents with LLC and SNI ( …
Needs Assessment for the Development of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record (ECHR) for Pediatric Palliative Care
Developing an ECHR with the content identified would allow for real-time data during emergencies, tracking what other PPC professionals have done, and making the applied treatments visible to others. This would offer a broader picture of the complex conditions common to PPC
Electronic Health Records in Specialized Pediatric Palliative Care
Professionals in specialized PPC expect and experience many benefits of using electronic documentation. Their requirements for an EHR for inpatient and outpatient settings of PPC are largely consistent with EHRs for pediatrics. However, individual specifications and adaptations are necessary for this particular setting
Short-Term and Long-Term Effectiveness of Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Chronic Headache
Pediatric chronic headache causes significant impairment to those affected and bears the risk of aggravation into adulthood. Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) was found to positively affect pain-related and emotional outcomes in pediatric patients with chronic pain up to 4 years after treatment. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of IIPT on solely pediatric chronic headache patients. As part of a longitudinal observa…
Participatory Design of an Electronic Medical Record for Paediatric Palliative Care
The involvement of users in the development of EMRs is important for meeting the requirements in PPC. Further software adaptations are necessary to implement these requirements
Participatory Design of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record (ECHR) System for Pediatric Palliative Care
The developed ECHR system needs to be more specific in some features by offering all available information; while for other features, be less specific to offer a quick overview. The ability to share information promptly and automatically was seen as a tremendous improvement to the quality of care for PPC patients
Assessment of Sleep-Related Problems in Children with Cerebral Palsy Using the SNAKE Sleep Questionnaire
Cerebral palsy (CP) represents the most common motor impairment in childhood. The presence of sleep problems has not yet been investigated with an instrument specifically designed for this population. In this hospital-based, prospective study, N = 100 children (M = 7.9, range: 2–18 years) with CP were included. All patients underwent pediatric neurologists’ screening incorporating instruments (Data Collection Form; Gross Motor Functions Classific…
Validation of the Facets-OF-PPC as an Outcome Measure for Children with Severe Neurological Impairment and Their Families—A Multicenter Prospective Longitudinal Study
Outcome measurement in pediatric palliative care (PPC) is receiving increasing attention. The FACETS-OF-PPC, a multidimensional outcome measure for children with severe neurological impairment, has been developed and partly validated. This study aimed to conclude the validity of the German version of the FACETS-OF-PPC. A multicenter prospective study with two points of measurement has been conducted, employing confirmatory factor analyses, reliab…
Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression in Pediatric Palliative Care Patients with Severe Neurological Impairment—A Scoping Literature Review and Case Reports
Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) addresses children, adolescents, and young adults with a broad spectrum of underlying diseases. A substantial proportion of these patients have irreversible conditions accompanied by Severe Neurological Impairment (SNI). For the treatment of pain and dyspnea, strong opioids are widely used in PPC. Nonetheless, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the opioid-related side effects in pediatric patients with SNI…
Quantifying the Language Barrier—A Total Survey of Parents’ Spoken Languages and Local Language Skills as Perceived by Different Professions in Pediatric Palliative Care
To date, there are no specific figures on the language-related characteristics of families receiving pediatric palliative care. This study aims to gain insights into the languages spoken by parents, their local language skills and the consistency of professional assessments on these aspects. Using an adapted version of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages", the languages and local language skills of parents whose children wer…
Readiness to Change among Adolescents with Chronic Pain and Their Parents
The Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire (PSOCQ) measures patients' willingness to engage in active self-management of their pain. The present study aimed to create validated German short versions of the PSOCQ for adolescents (PSOCQ-A) and their parents (PSOCQ-P). Additionally, an investigation of stages of change regarding pain characteristics and treatment outcomes was undertaken. In Study 1, the data of adolescents aged 11 to 18 years and their…
Pediatric Patients Receiving Specialized Palliative Home Care According to German Law
In Germany, every child with a life-limiting condition suffering from symptoms that cannot sufficiently be controlled is eligible by law for specialized pediatric palliative home care (SPPHC). It is the aim of this study to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of children referred to SPPHC and to compare patients with cancer and non-cancer conditions. The prospective multicenter study includes data on 75 children (median age 7.7 …
A Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment (SNAKE)—Concordance with a Global Rating of Sleep Quality
Sleep problems are a common and serious issue in children with life-limiting conditions (LLCs) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). The "Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment" (Schlaffragebogen für Kinder mit Neurologischen und Anderen Komplexen Erkrankungen, SNAKE) was developed for this unique patient group. In a proxy rating, the SNAKE assesses five different dimensions of sleep(-associated) problems (disturb…
The Unfavorable Alliance of Pain and Poor Sleep in Children with Life-Limiting Conditions and Severe Psychomotor Impairment
A high prevalence of sleep problems exists in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions (LLC) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). This study aimed to compare the impacts of various child-related (pain, epilepsy, repositioning, medical care) and environment-related (light, noise, TV/radio, open door) factors on sleep in this vulnerable population. Data were obtained through the “Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psych…
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The Pain Provocation Technique as an Adjunctive Treatment Module for Children and Adolescents with Chronic Disabling Pain
Pediatric Patients Receiving Specialized Palliative Home Care According to German Law
In Germany, every child with a life-limiting condition suffering from symptoms that cannot sufficiently be controlled is eligible by law for specialized pediatric palliative home care (SPPHC). It is the aim of this study to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of children referred to SPPHC and to compare patients with cancer and non-cancer conditions. The prospective multicenter study includes data on 75 children (median age 7.7 …
A Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment (SNAKE)—Concordance with a Global Rating of Sleep Quality
Sleep problems are a common and serious issue in children with life-limiting conditions (LLCs) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). The "Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psychomotor Impairment" (Schlaffragebogen für Kinder mit Neurologischen und Anderen Komplexen Erkrankungen, SNAKE) was developed for this unique patient group. In a proxy rating, the SNAKE assesses five different dimensions of sleep(-associated) problems (disturb…
The Unfavorable Alliance of Pain and Poor Sleep in Children with Life-Limiting Conditions and Severe Psychomotor Impairment
A high prevalence of sleep problems exists in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions (LLC) and severe psychomotor impairment (SPMI). This study aimed to compare the impacts of various child-related (pain, epilepsy, repositioning, medical care) and environment-related (light, noise, TV/radio, open door) factors on sleep in this vulnerable population. Data were obtained through the “Sleep Questionnaire for Children with Severe Psych…
Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression in Pediatric Palliative Care Patients with Severe Neurological Impairment—A Scoping Literature Review and Case Reports
Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) addresses children, adolescents, and young adults with a broad spectrum of underlying diseases. A substantial proportion of these patients have irreversible conditions accompanied by Severe Neurological Impairment (SNI). For the treatment of pain and dyspnea, strong opioids are widely used in PPC. Nonetheless, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the opioid-related side effects in pediatric patients with SNI…
Quantifying the Language Barrier—A Total Survey of Parents’ Spoken Languages and Local Language Skills as Perceived by Different Professions in Pediatric Palliative Care
To date, there are no specific figures on the language-related characteristics of families receiving pediatric palliative care. This study aims to gain insights into the languages spoken by parents, their local language skills and the consistency of professional assessments on these aspects. Using an adapted version of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages", the languages and local language skills of parents whose children wer…
Readiness to Change among Adolescents with Chronic Pain and Their Parents
The Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire (PSOCQ) measures patients' willingness to engage in active self-management of their pain. The present study aimed to create validated German short versions of the PSOCQ for adolescents (PSOCQ-A) and their parents (PSOCQ-P). Additionally, an investigation of stages of change regarding pain characteristics and treatment outcomes was undertaken. In Study 1, the data of adolescents aged 11 to 18 years and their…
Long-Term Outcome of Indomethacin Treatment in Pediatric Patients with Paroxysmal Hemicrania—A Case Series
Paroxysmal Hemicrania is a rare form of primary headache in children and adolescents, belonging to the group of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Patients suffer from severe, short-lasting unilateral headaches accompanied by symptoms of the autonomic system on the same side of the head. The short duration of attacks distinguishes Paroxysmal Hemicrania from other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Indomethacin is the treatment of choice, and its …
Insights into the Frequency and Distinguishing Features of Sleep Disorders in Pediatric Palliative Care Incorporating a Systematic Sleep Protocol
Currently, no concrete figures on sleep disorders and sleep characteristics in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions (LLC) and severe neurological impairment (SNI) based on pediatric palliative care professionals' assessment and following an official classification system such as the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3) exist. The ICSD-3 sleep disorders of inpatient children and adolescents with LLC and SNI ( …
Needs Assessment for the Development of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record (ECHR) for Pediatric Palliative Care
Developing an ECHR with the content identified would allow for real-time data during emergencies, tracking what other PPC professionals have done, and making the applied treatments visible to others. This would offer a broader picture of the complex conditions common to PPC
Electronic Health Records in Specialized Pediatric Palliative Care
Professionals in specialized PPC expect and experience many benefits of using electronic documentation. Their requirements for an EHR for inpatient and outpatient settings of PPC are largely consistent with EHRs for pediatrics. However, individual specifications and adaptations are necessary for this particular setting
Short-Term and Long-Term Effectiveness of Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Chronic Headache
Pediatric chronic headache causes significant impairment to those affected and bears the risk of aggravation into adulthood. Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) was found to positively affect pain-related and emotional outcomes in pediatric patients with chronic pain up to 4 years after treatment. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of IIPT on solely pediatric chronic headache patients. As part of a longitudinal observa…
Participatory Design of an Electronic Medical Record for Paediatric Palliative Care
The involvement of users in the development of EMRs is important for meeting the requirements in PPC. Further software adaptations are necessary to implement these requirements
Participatory Design of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record (ECHR) System for Pediatric Palliative Care
The developed ECHR system needs to be more specific in some features by offering all available information; while for other features, be less specific to offer a quick overview. The ability to share information promptly and automatically was seen as a tremendous improvement to the quality of care for PPC patients
Assessment of Sleep-Related Problems in Children with Cerebral Palsy Using the SNAKE Sleep Questionnaire
Cerebral palsy (CP) represents the most common motor impairment in childhood. The presence of sleep problems has not yet been investigated with an instrument specifically designed for this population. In this hospital-based, prospective study, N = 100 children (M = 7.9, range: 2–18 years) with CP were included. All patients underwent pediatric neurologists’ screening incorporating instruments (Data Collection Form; Gross Motor Functions Classific…
Validation of the Facets-OF-PPC as an Outcome Measure for Children with Severe Neurological Impairment and Their Families—A Multicenter Prospective Longitudinal Study
Outcome measurement in pediatric palliative care (PPC) is receiving increasing attention. The FACETS-OF-PPC, a multidimensional outcome measure for children with severe neurological impairment, has been developed and partly validated. This study aimed to conclude the validity of the German version of the FACETS-OF-PPC. A multicenter prospective study with two points of measurement has been conducted, employing confirmatory factor analyses, reliab…
Participatory Design of a Medication Module in an Electronic Medical Record for Paediatric Palliative Care
The results serve as a basis for further development. Attention should be given to the reduction of display fragmentation, as it decreases cognitive load. Further approaches to evaluation should be taken
Differential Diagnosis of Cyclic Vomiting and Periodic Headaches in a Child with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt
Fourteen months after the implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter, a six-year-old boy developed recurrent, severe headaches and vomiting every three weeks. The attacks were of such severity that hospitalizations for analgesic and antiemetic therapies and intravenous rehydration and electrolyte substitution were repeatedly required. The patient was asymptomatic between the attacks. After an extensive diagnostic workup-including repea…
Exploring the Mechanisms Underlying the Effectiveness of Psychosocial Aftercare in Pediatric Chronic Pain Treatment
A newly developed specialized psychosocial aftercare program (PAC) for pediatric patients with chronic pain following an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) was found to be significantly more effective than IIPT alone. This qualitative study aimed to gain further insight into the mechanisms and prerequisites for the effectiveness of this specialized aftercare program. We conducted structured telephone interviews with patients, paren…
Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Patients with Severe Neurological Impairments
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients with a severe neurologic impairment (SNI) suffer considerable morbidity and increased mortality from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). The indication and choice of antibiotic therapy for bacterial LRTIs are often challenging given the lack of evidence-based treatment recommendations for this vulnerable patient population. We conducted an observational study before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in an ei…
Evaluation of an Electronic Medical Record Module for Nursing Documentation in Paediatric Palliative Care
After adaptation of the modules based on the results, further evaluation with the participation of future users is required
Planning for Implementation Success of an Electronic Cross-Facility Health Record for Pediatric Palliative Care Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients require years of care across professions and sectors. Sharing treatment-related information and communicating among different PPC professionals is critical to ensure good quality of care. In Germany, this communication is mostly paper-based and prone to errors. Therefore, an electronic cross-facility health record (ECHR) was participatorily designed with users, wherein information can be shared and PPC pro…
Relevance of Potential Contributing Factors for the Development and Maintenance of Irritability of Unknown Origin in Pediatric Palliative Care
Potential contributing factors (PCFs) for irritability of an unknown origin (IUO) in children with neurological conditions are identifiable through structured diagnostics. Uncertainty exists regarding the actual relevance of identified PCFs to IUO. Assessments from parents as well as nursing, psycho-social, and medical professionals were used to determine the contribution of different PCFs in the development and maintenance of IUO. For this, indi…
Dronabinol Is Not a Game Changer in Pediatric Palliative Care
Subjective positive effects could not be confirmed by more objective data. Side effects can be severe. Thus, DRB should be started in a well-monitored setting and only with clear indications
Evidence for Impact
Background : In light of the increasing importance of measuring, assuring, and improving the quality of care, this study aimed to evaluate the outcome of care provided at a specialized inpatient PPC unit in consideration of the three PPC core treatment goals: (i) reduction in symptom burden, (ii) improvement of the quality of life, and (iii) strengthening caregiver competency. Methods : Prospective single-center study. Data were collected using t…
Medicine (25 works) · Psychology (14 works) · Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life (11 works) · Palliative care (11 works) · Nursing (10 works) · Pediatrics (9 works) · Psychiatry (9 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Infant Development and Preterm Care (7 works) · Internal Medicine (7 works)