Editorial

The 18th Annual International Meeting of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society in Miami Beach, Florida was, to say the least, outstanding. To have participated in person, as an International Nurse from a Low/Middle Income Country (LMIC) and after the pandemic, felt extra special.

My hospital, CardioPedBrasil® Hospital de Criança e Maternidade in Sao José do Rio Preto in Brazil has been in partnership with Children’s HeartLink (CHL) for over 10 years, and we were recently named one of their Centers of Excellence.  CHL supported me financially to attend the meeting, so that I could have a chance to meet and learn from inspiring, exceptional professionals, grow in knowledge as a nurse, bring back those lessons to my team in Brazil and implement the knowledge in my nursing education practice.

It was a great honor and pleasure to have the opportunity to exchange information with the highest level of professionals in the field, learn from experienced centers and take home several ideas for improvement.

While in the Preconference for Bedside Nursing, APP and Fellows, as I listened to innovative teaching strategies, I realized how difficult it would have been for me (or any other nurse from a LMIC) to participate in this wonderful event if it wasn’t for CHL’s financial support. There is a huge gap in the education pediatric cardiac intensive care nurses in LMICs need and what is available to them. How great would it be if different sponsors could bring more nurses from abroad to help improve care for children in underserved parts of the world?

I co-chair the PCICS International Committee alongside Bistra Zheleva and Uri Pollack. During our committee meeting at the conference, we discussed plans for 2023, including a proposal for regional virtual or in-person meetings in LMICs seeking inclusion of more international professionals to the PCICS.

Among the many interesting presentations, my favorite brought a special and enriching insight:  the Patricia Hickey Lecture, presented by Louise Callow has inspired me, from now on, to work to “fill in the gaps” in pediatric cardiac nursing in Brazil.

Thank you PCICS and Children’s HeartLink!