Development and implantation of a pilot education program for pediatric palliative care in Poland

In many countries over the last forty years palliative medicine have been recognised as a separate speciality and associated with adult cancer patients. Pediatric palliative medicine is a specific discipline which is very distinct from palliative care of adults. In Poland pediatric palliative care has been provided as a home based model of care. Dynamic development of palliative care of children in Poland in the last sixteen years proves high demand for that service. Despite of the dynamic development of the pediatric palliative care in Poland there are two main challenges in that field: difficulties in staff recruitment and significant deficits in the knowledge of the pediatric palliative care. Those difficulties arise as a result of a lack of training among students In majority of Polish medical universities (both for doctors and nurses) palliative care is a part of the teaching program. However most of programs include only adult palliative care. Pediatric curriculum does not cover palliative care. That paper describes development and implantation of a pilot education program for pediatric palliative care in Poland.In many countries over the last forty years palliative medicine have b� � � � � � een recognised as a separate speciality and associated with adult cancer patients. Pediatric palliative medicine is a specific discipline which is very distinct from palliative care of adults. In Poland pediatric palliative care has been provided as a home based model of care. Dynamic development of palliative care of children in Poland in the last sixteen years proves high demand for that service. Despite of the dynamic development of the pediatric palliative care in Poland there are two main challenges in that field: difficulties in staff recruitment and significant deficits in the knowledge of the pediatric palliative care. Those difficulties arise as a result of a lack of training among students In majority of Polish medical universities (both for doctors and nurses) palliative care is a part of the teaching program. However most of programs include only adult palliative care. Pediatric curriculum does not cover palliative care. That paper describes development and implantation of a pilot education program for pediatric palliative care in Poland