Elevating the Unimaginable Experience: A Multidisciplinary Initiative to Improve Pediatric End-of-Life Care

Jessika Boles, PhD, CCLS, Child Life Team Lead, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Anne Duplechain, MEd, Child Life Specialist, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Camille Fraser, MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialist II, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Maile Jones, MEd, CIMI, Graduate Research Contractor, Vanderbilt University
Katie Smith, Bereaved Parent Advisor, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Millions of children die each year – most of whom are touched by healthcare providers in traditional hospital settings or home-health agencies. This webinar reviews current findings on the experiences of bereaved families, positioned alongside institutional practices reported by healthcare providers, and first-person perspectives from a bereaved parent advisor. Participants will explore the development of a hospital-wide bereavement committee to implement and improve end-of-life services in a pediatric hospital i%MCEPASTEBIN%n collaboration with hospital leadership, front-line staff, bereaved parents, and community partners. Lastly, attendees will review the achievements of this committee while highlighting the importance of collaboration between bereaved families and providers to positively impact the patient experience.