PediPal

Hola, somos el equipo de cuidados paliativos!

نحن مجموعة من الأطباء والممرضات والأخصائيين الاجتماعيين والقساوسة ، هنا لتقديم ...

...wait, how do you say "extra layer of support" in Arabic? And can I scan this POLST form into Google Translate?

Welcome to Episode 5, in which Sarah and Dan interview two medical interpreters about the challenges and joys of interpreting in the pediatric palliative care setting. Daniela Obregón (@GetConnCare) is an independent Spanish language interpreter, translator, and cultural consultant, and Amani Zaki is an Arabic interpreter at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. What habits of clinicians drive interpreters crazy? What's it like to be the conduit for so much emotionally-charged language in family meetings? Listen and find out!

How lovely it would be if everyone were as thoughtful and palliative-minded as we are! Palliative care providers are meticulous about language when talking to patients and families, but are we as thoughtful about the words we use to talk about our patients and families?

In Episode 4, Sarah and Dan talk to Gitanjli Arora, MD (@pedsworld), and Rachel Rusch, LCSW, MA (@RuschRachel), from the CHLA Comfort and Palliative Care Team. Inspired by Dr. Arora's essay, "A Lovely Family," in the Journal of Palliative Medicine (@PalliativeMed_j), we discuss how even the most lovely of words can prevent us from digging deeper, disrupt the productive tension where palliation dwells, and perpetuate our biases.

As Pediatric Palliative Care grows, new programs are started and restarted, often by recent fellowship graduates. This leaves the landscape of PPC dotted with islands of solo providers or tiny teams in various stages of growing pains.

In this third episode of Pedipal, Sarah and Dan indulge their pandemic-thwarted wanderlust, island hopping among three different palliative islands, each with its own unique history:
Our first stop is with Dr. Ami Mehta, founder of the first dedicated Palliative Care service at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.
Then we visit Dr. Max Lindeman, who has taken on the challenge of restarting and redefining the program at Columbia NYP's Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital on the actual island of Manhattan.
Our last visit is with Dr. Jennifer Kett, who shares her experience on a shrinking Palliative Care team at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in sunny Tacoma, Washington, and teaches us our new favorite mirror affirmation: "You're the only you, but you're not the only one."


Theme music: "Sneaky Adventure," by Kevin MacLeod (2009)

Ketamine: a no-drama drug? Hard to believe when so many clinicians seem scared to use it, but maybe we've all been thinking about this NMDA antagonist the wrong way.

In this episode of Pedipal, Sarah and Dan pour themselves a heaping bowl of Special K as they sit down with two ketamine aficionados, Dr. Stephen Long and Dr. Anu Agrawal, from UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. Follow us down the k-hole as we discuss pharmacology, gastronomy, and how to convince your hospital that it's okay give a 1980s club drug to children.


Links to things we mentioned in the show:

• UCSF Oakland Ketamine Infusion Protocol: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W_BM-4T5ON_AECs8TJ2y65Y96ENE_scR/view?usp=sharing

Theme music: "Sneaky Adventure," by Kevin MacLeod (2009)

How do we name our pediatric palliative care teams? Is the word "palliative" just a liability? Why does Justin Baker regularly cosplay as a marsupial?

In this inaugural episode of Pedipal, Dan and Sarah interview colleagues from around the US about the names of their teams and how they introduce themselves to families: Dr. Jared Rubenstein (Texas Children's "PACT," @DrJRubenstein), Dr. Bob Macauley (OHSU's "Bridges"), Dr. Tricia Keefer (Michigan's "Stepping Stones," @KeeferMD), and Dr. Justin Baker (St. Jude's "QoLA," @justinnbaker) weigh in on these questions and more. Their answers may surprise, vindicate, or infuriate you, but we can all agree on one thing: We're the fire department, not the fire. Right?


Links to things we mentioned in the show:

• Palliative Care PSA - We’re the fire department, not the fire: https://youtu.be/BbNi_-wYXJE
• Justin Baker celebrates his fellows' graduation: https://twitter.com/justinnbaker/status/1277771001502339073?s=20
• Justin Baker's TEDTalk (in, um... fancy dress): https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_justin_baker_what_dying_children_and_taught_me_about_leaning_into_suffering

Theme music: "Sneaky Adventure," by Kevin MacLeod (2009)

The first episode of @PediPal is coming!
So listen to this trailer as a starting dose before titrating up to full strength. 
If the side effects are tolerable, then watch this space for the official release VERY soon...

Theme music: "Sneaky Adventure," by Kevin MacLeod (2009)