Development and Implementation of a Family Presence Facilitator Curriculum for Interprofessional Use in Pediatric Medical Resuscitations.

Introduction: Family presence during pediatric medical resuscitation has myriad benefits. However, there is significant heterogeneity in provider acceptance and implementation of the family support role. We designed this curriculum to teach all members of the health care team best practices in the Family Presence Facilitator (FPF) role during pediatric medical resuscitations.

Methods: We applied Kern's six-step approach to develop an FPF curriculum comprising didactic and interactive elements, along with training for simulated participants. We implemented the curriculum through (a) live sessions (30-minute didactic or 90-minute workshop) for learners; (b) a 20-minute asynchronous version of the didactic curriculum for self-directed learning; and (c) a 1-hour, monthly, in situ simulation curriculum in a pediatric emergency department setting. Curriculum evaluation surveys queried self-reported engagement, satisfaction, relevance, confidence, commitment, knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a retrospective pre/post format.

Results: We collected data from 153 learners, including attendings, fellows, residents, advanced practice providers, medical students, and child life specialists, between October 2022 and September 2023. Only 22% of participants had received similar prior training. One hundred percent of learners found the curriculum enjoyable and engaging; learners also agreed the curriculum improved their knowledge and skills in providing empathetic and respectful communication (99%); nonspeculative, clear information (100%); and nonverbal support (99%). Of respondents, 100% believed the curriculum would improve the patient care experience.

Discussion: Facilitating family presence during pediatric medical resuscitations is a crucial skill. Our curriculum improves self-reported confidence, knowledge, and skills among interprofessional learners. Next steps include expanding this curriculum beyond the pediatric setting.