Education Committee November 2020 Update

Pushed by the realities of COVID-19, the PCICS Education Committee has entered a new era. Digital technology and increased adaption to virtual platforms have created the opportunities to utilize expertise all over the world in pediatric cardiac intensive care for the benefit of our members and our patients. We on the Education Committee are looking for new ways to increase the virtual presence of PCICS and are specifically seeking new members with that interest and expertise.

The current structure of the Education Committee consists of a core group of members and several core members serve as lead Subcommittee representatives. Here are our current Subcommittees: RN Curriculum, APP Curriculum, Translation of English Content, and the newly formed CVICU fellowship directors. In addition, we have liaisons from Connections Committee – David Werho, MD, Research Committee – Christopher Mastropietro, MD, and Quality Improvement Committee – Dana Mueller, MD. This cross committee partnership is a key strength for all of the committees and we look forward to continued collaboration in developing even more robust content together.

Our ongoing projects include the Nursing Curriculum led by Melissa Jones CPNP-AC and Dot Beke, RN, MS, CPNP-PC/AC, the APP Curriculum led by Louise Callow RN, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC and Lindsey Justice, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC, the Spanish translation of several existing PCICS books led by Saul Flores, MD, and a collaboration with Open Pediatrics led by Shilpa Govardhan, MD. Our members are also part of several video-based educational offerings and webinars including the weekly COVID 19 Webinar hosted by Children’s National Health System as well as the new PCICS partnership with the Congenital Heart Academy.

Newer projects which are currently in development with the Connections Committee and the Research Committee include a project on stress and burnout in APPs and RNs led by Casey Bor CPNP-AC, development of a Research Curriculum led by Chris Mastropierto, MD and development of a bedside nursing procedure manual led by Lisa McCabe PCNS-BC, APRN and members from the Clinical Nurse Specialist/Educator SIG.

Although we are disappointed that we will not see everyone in Miami this December, we are very excited for PCICS’s first virtual meeting! The content curated by the Program’s Co-Chairs Nikhil Chanani, MD and Lindsey Justice DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC and the rest of the Program Committee is fresh and relevant during these unwavering times. As part of this program, we will be launching a video series highlighting the advice of CVICU Luminaries — experts in our fields across multiple disciplines such as nursing, physician, pharmacy, PT, CV Surgery and many more. The CVICU luminaries have over 20 years of experience and will provide bits of wisdom that they want to pass along to the next generation of leaders. More to come. Follow @PCICS2, the official PCICS twitter handle, to vote on questions for these luminaries and to keep up to date on when the series will launch. We hope everyone and their families are staying safe and healthy during these unpredictable times.