Children (Jun 2022)

Using EmPalPed—An Educational Toolkit on Essential Messages in Palliative Care and Pain Management in Children—As a Strategy to Promote Pediatric Palliative Care

  • Ximena García-Quintero,
  • Angélica Claros-Hulbert,
  • María Elena Tello-Cajiao,
  • Jhon Edwar Bolaños-Lopez,
  • María Isabel Cuervo-Suárez,
  • Martha Gabriela García Durán,
  • Wendy Gómez-García,
  • Michael McNeil,
  • Justin N. Baker

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/children9060838
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 6
p. 838

Abstract

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Background: Most children needing palliative care (PC) live in low- and middle-income countries. In Colombia, pediatric palliative care (PPC) knowledge among healthcare professionals (HCPs) is lacking as PPC is not included in the educational curricula of healthcare programs. Therefore, specific training that improves knowledge of HCPs and access to PC for children and their families is needed. To address this gap, we organized and conducted the Essential Messages in Palliative Care and Pain Management in Children (EmPalPed), an educational toolkit to increase awareness and promote essential knowledge in PPC for low- and middle-income countries. Methodology: The EmPalPed toolkit consisted of a 5-h virtual workshop with small working groups of HCPs caring for children with life-threatening conditions such as cancer. The toolkit was organized along five key domains: (1) PC as it relates to the concept of quality of life (QoL), (2) effective communication, (3) addressing pain management as a top priority, (4) providing end-of-life care, and (5) access to high-quality PC as a fundamental human right. The workshop activities included different educational strategies and tools (e.g., a pocket guide for pain assessment and management, a PPC booklet, a quick guide for communicating bad news, role playing, and discussions of clinical cases). Results: A total of 145 HCPs from 22 centers were trained. The post-test analysis for HCPs showed that attitude and knowledge about communication (p p p p < 0.001) had positive and statistically significant changes from the pre-test analysis. Discussion: This study supported the notion that the EmPalPed educational toolkit is an effective mechanism for raising awareness regarding PPC as well as providing training in many of the key aspects of PPC. The EmPalPed training approach should be studied beyond this setting, and the impact should be measured longitudinally.

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