HospiScript (a Catamaran Company), in conjunction with Hands of Hope (a division of Hospice Care of South Carolina), hosted the first HospiScript Regional Conference dedicated to pediatric hospice and palliative care education. HospiScript’s Pediatric Symposium was held May 1-2, 2014, in Charleston, South Carolina. The educational lineup focused on management of pediatric hospice and palliative care patients and benefited those currently serving pediatric patients, those interested in starting a pediatric program, and even those who only see the occasional pediatric patient. Conference delegates each received a copy of the book, Pediatric Palliative Care Consultant.
New resource
HospiScript recently published the first edition of the Pediatric Palliative Care Consultant (PPCC); a quick reference guide for palliative symptom management in pediatric patients. The authors and collaborators systematically reviewed and collected the pertinent literature and resources related to pediatric palliative care and compiled the information into concise guidelines for effective management of symptoms.
Each chapter provides relevant background information regarding the symptom, as well as non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment options. The pharmacological options are then displayed in comprehensive drug tables, followed by step-by-step algorithms that walk practitioners through patient specific symptom management. The disease states seen in pediatric palliative care patients are often quite different than those seen in adult palliative care patients, therefore overviews of common pediatric life-limiting conditions are also included.
Medication dosing
The majority of healthcare professionals providing care to pediatric patients with life-limiting conditions are not extensively trained to care for this population. In many situations, care for these children is provided by general pediatricians or adult palliative care teams. Knowledge of pediatric assessment and medication dosing is essential when dealing with infants and children. This reference was designed to provide practical recommendations and improve symptom management in pediatric patients. The aim of this guide is to equip all practitioners who deal with pediatric patients with chronic, life-limiting conditions, whether they have pediatric specific training or rarely see a pediatric patient.
The Pediatric Palliative Care Consultant is currently available at www.amazon.com and www.hospibooks.com. More information regarding HospiScript’s educational opportunities can be found at www.hospiscript.com. HospiScript provides these and other educational opportunities free of charge to its clients on a regular basis, including pediatric topics. HospiScript has a dedicated pediatric pharmacist on staff and is always looking for ways to improve pediatric symptom management.
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