May 2004
May 18, 2004 ChiPPS Executive Committee
Las Vegas Pediatric Pre-Conference was a success!
The preconference institute on Essentials of Pediatric Palliative Care at the NHPCO's 5th Clinical Team Conference in Las Vegas on Monday, March 22, 2004, was designed to provide an introduction to pediatric palliative care (PPC). Topics that were addressed included: communication and decision making in PPC; essential components of psychosocial and spiritual care; raising community awareness; pain and symptom management; grief and bereavement; and the impact on health care providers and teams of providing PPC. Questions from participants and discussions between participants and institute faculty were encouraged throughout the day. Wherever possible, links were noted between the content under examination and NHPCO's Education and Training Curriculum for Pediatric Palliative Care (2003). Faculty for this session were: Charles A. Corr, PhD, Susan M. Huff, RN, MSN, Stacy F. Orloff, EdD, LCSW, and Suzanne S. Toce, MD.
Pediatric Palliative Care Conference in Michigan
Mark your calendars! Plan on attending the NHPCO inaugural conference on Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care in Dearborn, MI, November 12-14, 2004. This exciting conference is co-sponsored by the Michigan Hospice Organization and involves both professional and parent/family perspectives. Innovative programs, research reports, and a wide range of interdisciplinary presentations will be offered. Don't miss this important educational event!
There will also be a Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care Film Festival in conjunction with the conference. Details are available on our website. Please go to www.nhpco.org and click on Conferences and Education.
Internet Course Offerings
Save the date! September 13 to October 8. NHPCO and Mount Ida College will be offering the third class in a series of Internet courses offered this year related to Pediatric Palliative Care Issues. Dr. Stacy Orloff will be facilitating a four-week Internet course entitled Psychosocial and Spiritual Care Issues in Pediatric Palliative Care. For more information please go to: Online Courses from Mt. Ida College.
New Educational Workgroup
The ChiPPS Executive Committee has approved implementation of a new education Workgroup. Under the guidance of Dr. Stacy Orloff this workgroup will begin by taking on further responsibilities for the ChiPPS Newsletter. In addition the workgroup will review the strategic priorities as established by the Executive Committee and develop action steps to develop and implement the education priorities. The first conference call for this workgroup will be in June. If you'd like more information or would like to join this workgroup, contact Dr. Stacy Orloff at stacyorloff@thehospice.orgor by telephone, 727-588-2786.
New publication due out in June:
Palliative Care for Infants, Children, and Adolescents: A Practical Handbook. Edited by Brian S. Carter, MD and Marcia Levetown, MD; Forward by Kathleen Foley, MD
This is a 15- chapter book intended to be of practical assistance in carrying out the ideas so frequently articulated as advice about providing pediatric palliative care. Written by a vast array of well-known practitioners of a variety of disciplines, from throughout the US, Canada and the UK as well as parent advocates, it provides a 360-degree view of the need for and implementation of pediatric palliative care, from diagnosis to discharge or death.
Quick Pediatric Palliative Care articles found online:
Looking for quick articles to share with your staff or to assist in educating your community? Try the National Alliance for Children with Life- Threatening Conditions (NACWLTC) web site at: NACWLTC Helpful Articles. This section of the NACWLTC website includes short articles devoted to topics related to pediatric palliative care. Included are archives of monthly physician commentary posted on the NACWLTC Physician ListServe. A sample of the topics covered:
1. Can we ethically withhold/withdraw nutrition in children, by Brian S. Carter
2. Health Care Decision Making in Pediatric Palliative Care, by Sarah Friebert
3. Neonatal Pain, by Suzanne S. Toce
4. Work Choices in Pediatric Palliative Care, by Chris Hubble
