Building for the Long Run: Care and Feeding of the Pediatric Interdisciplinary Team

A pediatric hospice and palliative care team is a unique group of specialists from several fields combining skills and resources to guide, inform and treat a special patient population.  Passion and a call to service are necessary but not sufficient for creating a successful and enduring team. Member interaction can differ widely and can have profound impacts on patient/family and provider satisfaction, including burnout.  All teams must be good stewards of scarce resources in personnel, time and finances to provide sustainability for the organization. This workshop will explore the particular stressors encountered by pediatric teams and the crucial elements to consider in forming and growing a true transdisciplinary team.  Using both published theory and solid professional experience, careful preparation for team building and growth through individual self-care will be explored.  A self-care inventory will be also completed.