Merimna supports the continuing education and training of staff members and actively seeks opportunities to participate in training and education programs. This year, thanks to the sponsorship of the Stefanos Kollakis Foundation, pediatrician, Antonia Moutafi and Registered Nurse, Spyridoula Tsaroucha, members of the Merimna Pediatric Palliative Home Care Unit, participated in the educational program “Pediatric Palliative Care; An Education and Training Program in Specialist Symptom Management and Interdisciplinary Care” which was offered by the UCL Great Ormond Street (GOSH) Institute of Child Health, London from 22-26, January 2018.
The training program addressed a wealth of topics: symptom management (such as pain, dyspnea, dystonia, AES disorders, sleep disturbances, etc.), decision making procedures, care plan creation, specific issues regarding certain illnesses, communication with the ill child and their family, end of life care and support of health professionals working in this field. The speakers were members of the GOSH Relief Care Group (HF) and health professionals from different specialties who work closely with them. Attendance at this program has enriched the participants’ knowledge and also gave them the opportunity to develop relationships and share experiences with other health professionals working internationally in Pediatric Palliative Care.
The next step will be to share all of this new knowledge and experience with the rest of the Pediatric Palliative Home Care Team with the goal of further enhancing the care given to all the children, in our service, who have a life threatening illness and their families.
