Palliative care

[smurfynursey]

hello fellow peds nurses,

I work doing pediatric hospice and my boss is pushing for us to all get the CHPPN (certified hospice and palliative-pedatric nurse) cert.

My question(s)

1. I have worked almost exclusivly with medically fragile kiddos. The website says perinatal, infants, children, teens and young adults with life limiting illnesses. It is my inclination that medically fragile kiddos (vent dependant, TBIs, MRCP, ect) would easily fall into this catagory. My worry is that it will focus on the more acute side of things (ie, hem/onc) and I will be clueless as to what they are asking.

Which brings me to my second question...

2. Have any of you taken this? What were the questions like? Do you know of any review books for the CHPPN? I know there are some for CPN (working on that too) but it seems that the HPPN would be more specific.

Happy weekend off to everyone that is not working this weekend, and if you are, I feel you :)

--nurseysmurf

[werkinit]

Hi there! I wanted to follow up and see what you decided about this certification. I am a new grad pediatric oncology RN with an interest in palliative care. This certification sounds right up my alley but I don't know much (and it will probably be a while before I pursue it anyways.) Anything to share?

Thanks!

[jmsnkids]

Hello there fellow kid nurses--I am an RN BSN CPN and am studying for the CHPPN test this summer. I work at a "state of the art" pediatric palliative care facility in the SF Bay area. I can attest that both of these certifications are important for the quality development of the pediatric palliative care field of nursing. Our roles are becoming more and more important as the kids we care for are living longer, and hopefully, fuller lives but we need to be their voices when the conversations of quality of life start to happen early in their care. The NHPCO is the leading national organization for this conversation so they are the leaders to set the high bar of certifying Pediatric Palliative Nursing as a new speciality. How exciting to be on the forefront of this new and so needed specialty!

Thanks and good luck!

JeanMarie Serrano

[smurfynursey]

Werkinit,Congrats on getting into peds onc! That is what I eventually want to do and is actually the reason I decided to become a nurse. The CHPPN cert doesn't have a requirement like some of the others do (as in, you have to have x hours working in whatever field) but the website reccomends that you have 2 yrs experience working with kids that have life threatening or life limiting illnesses. Also, there is the CPHON, which is more specific to where you are.I would suggest that you find a way to take ELNEC - PPC (end of life nursing education consortium for pediatric palliative care). ELNEC is a 2 day class that goes over symptom management, care at the time of death and grieving (amoung other things). It was offered at my work in January and was required of all staff.jmsnkids-I work at a facility similar to yours (except I am a looooong ways away, haha. How are you preparing to take the test? I haven't found any study guides or anything like what I have for the CPN exam. What is your background, besides pedi hospice? I have worked almost exclusively with medically fragile kids and I found that there was a ton of stuff that was on the practice test/prep books that I haven't delt with since nursing school. Would love to get some tips if you have any :)Also, I was wondering what the kids that you get are as far as typical diagnoses? We have had mostly the medically fragile types (trisomies, ect) with a few hem/onc kids in the mix.Do you ever do chemo at your facility? Take care!Smurfynursey

[jmsnkids]

Hi again!

@Smurfynursey...So happy to hear that you are as passionate about palliative care and kids as I am! I have worked in pediatrics my whole very long 30 year nursing care :redpinkhe I have worked in PICU,ER and Ambulatory Clinics plus NICU Parent Education and been a BLS/PALS instructor until my arthritis kicked in something fierce! As far as studying goes, I am asking my nursing students--I am the nursing education manager at our facility--about the most recent texts on techniques,protocols and current practice. I figure they are the most up to date and can also give me some motivation to keep up!

I would love to chat and get to pick your brain too! Is is okay to give email's out on this site? If so, please contact me at [email protected]. If not, please let me know here if you are interested in blogging back and forth here. Take good care and hope to talk soon! JeanMarie

[werkinit]

Hi again! Thanks for the ELNEC recommendation, smurfynursey, I am hoping I can get some ceu units & possibly have it covered by my work...we'll see! I am still a very new "baby nurse" but my unit pays for us to sit for the CPON cert after 1 year of practice. I don't think they have any nurses who are CHPPN certified, but my hospital does have a Palliative Care team and I am hoping to let them know early on that I'm very interested in this field.

jsmnkids -- I was one of your former nursing students. I was going to contact you to update you on what I'm doing...and here you are : ) Small world!

I will send you an email this evening.

All the best to both of you!