This Learning Pathway contains a comprehensive set of training and tools to help pediatric clinicians address the unique needs of patients and families living with serious illness. Clinical topics include assessing the needs and concerns of pediatric patients and families; strengthening the care team, patient, and family relationship and understanding care goals; managing pain and symptoms; and helping patients and families to avoid crises and plan for the future.

CAPC would like to acknowledge the National Pediatric Palliative Care Task Force and the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California for identifying many of the resources contained in this pathway.

Assess the Needs and Concerns of Pediatric Patients and Families

Pediatric Palliative Care Referral Criteria
MEMBERS ONLY locked

General palliative care referral criteria for children with serious illness, and for specific diseases including cancer and pulmonary, genetic, neurologic, metabolic, and other diagnoses.

Pediatric Pain Assessment and Management
MEMBERS ONLY locked

Sample patient care policy and procedure from the Children's Health System.

Pediatric Palliative Care Library

Features a series of topical webinars by field leaders and experts, hosted by the Illinois, Pennsylvania, and California state coalitions.

Strengthen the Care Team, Patient, and Family Relationship and Understand Care Goals

EQIPP: Talking About Serious Illness

Co-developed by CAPC and the Courageous Parents Network, this American Academy of Pediatrics course provides 5.0 MOC Part 2 points and 25.0 MOC Part 4 points. The course teaches pediatricians from any specialty how to engage in discussions that facilitate open, honest, and compassionate care for seriously ill children and their families.

Together for Short Lives: End-of-Life Planning Prompt Sheets

Prompt sheets designed to help practitioners make sure they have covered every aspect of care in end-of-life planning.

Together for Short Lives: Children’s Hospice Diversity Toolkit

Toolkit to address the challenges and barriers faced in delivering services to children, young people, and families from diverse communities.

Courageous Parents Network – Introduction to Pediatric Palliative Care

Video series discussing key issues in pediatric palliative care, including helping parents and families understand the pediatric disease trajectory, the use of medical technology, and parental decision-making.

Courageous Parents Network – Teaching Modules

Collection of teaching modules that use patient and family voices to walk through difficult topics in palliative care.

Pediatric Palliative Care Toolkits

The Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition offers resources for families and caregivers on the topics of sibling support, creative expression, care planning, and caring conversations.

Pediatric My Wishes

Booklet written in everyday language that helps children express how they want to be cared for if they have a serious illness.

Manage Pain and Symptoms

Pediatric Pain Treatment and Opioid Prescribing

These videos are designed for medical students on their core pediatrics rotation and include topics from the newborn nursery, inpatient, and outpatient domains.

Integrating Palliative Care and Symptom Relief into Pediatrics

Chapter 4, Essential Package of Pediatric Palliative Care and Symptom Relief, provides guidance for prescribers on medicines that can address symptoms in children living with serious illness.

Association for Children with Life-Threatening or Terminal Conditions and Their Families (ACT) Professional Resources

Together for Short Lives provides a resource library on a range of children's palliative care issues including safe use of medications, basic symptom control, and communication.

Prevent Crises and Plan Ahead

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Online Curriculum: Resilience in the Face of Grief and Loss

A curriculum to help pediatric clinicians reflect on grief and loss, communicate with children and their families, and manage emotions after challenging patient care experiences.

National Alliance for Children’s Grief

Educational programming and critical resources to facilitate the mental, emotional, and physical health of grieving children and their families.

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