Compassionate Care
"Compassionate Care" is a podcast series tailored for students pursuing careers in pediatric medicine and families that are on a journey with a medically complex child. This series offers a unique perspective by centering on the experiences and stories of parents with medically complex children. Aspiring doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals will gain valuable insights into the challenges, triumphs, and lessons of these families. The series aims to foster empathy, understanding, and a holistic approach to pediatric care by highlighting the vital role caregivers play in a child's medical journey. This is not only a podcast series but an opportunity for future pediatric healthcare professionals to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional aspects of their patients' lives. By listening to the voices of parents, students can better prepare to provide comprehensive care that considers both medical needs and emotional well-being. This podcast is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 1: The Caregiver's Journey
04/01/2025
Episode 1: The Caregiver's Journey
In this introductory episode, we explore the realities of parenting a child with complex medical needs. Patrice Guzman, parent to a child with complex medical needs, shares her personal story, shedding light on the advocacy and resiliency required to navigate the emotional rollercoaster that is the healthcare system. Patrice Guzman is a seasoned, results-driven professional with over 18 years of experience in the non-profit sector, bringing a creative and versatile approach to advancing organizational missions. Her expertise spans fundraising, grant management, volunteer management, program development, advocacy, operations and event production. Patrice holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports, Entertainment, and Event Management from Johnson & Wales University in Miami, FL, and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Strayer University. As a lifelong learner, she continually seeks opportunities to grow and adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of non-profit and advocacy work. Previously, Patrice served as a Parent Network Specialist at the WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities, where she supported families of medically complex children through the Paths for Parents and Family to Family programs. This role was deeply inspired by her personal journey as the mother of a medically complex child, which fuels her passion for advocacy and family support. Now, as the Director of Philanthropy for the Centering Healthcare Institute, Patrice leverages her extensive background to secure funding, build strategic partnerships and drive initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in healthcare. Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 2: Collaborative Care Teams
04/01/2025
Episode 2: Collaborative Care Teams
Three experts in pediatric medicine join us to discuss the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in caring for medically complex children. Listeners will gain insights into how healthcare professionals work together to provide comprehensive support for both the child and their family. Meet our expert guests: Nicole Sergent, pediatric physical therapist, was a member of the 2001 entry level master’s program at the WVU School of Physical Therapy. She received a BA in multidisciplinary studies with an emphasis in health promotion in 2000 and a master’s in physical therapy in 2001 and was a University Honor’s Scholar. As part of the WVU Rural Health Initiative, she began practicing in the Eastern Panhandle of WV with an immediate emphasis in pediatrics and aquatics. While Nicole has spent time in both the outpatient and inpatient practice, the majority of her career and professional focus has been on the zero to three population in early intervention as a contractor through West Virginia Birth to Three. Through her love for young children’s families and her belief that coaching and supporting parents is the most effective way to promote early development, Nicole co-founded Milestones and Miracles, LLC. She co-created and co-authored, “1-2-3 Just Play with Me”, an award-winning developmental card resource that pairs early milestones with purposeful play and intervention strategies. “1-2-3 Just Play with Me” is used with parents and clinicians in every U.S. state and over ten countries worldwide. Nicole is a presenter for the online continuing education platform Medbridge Education on topics including play-based therapy, brain-based learning and roadblocks to natural development. She has also presented at children’s hospitals, at national, regional and state conferences and at teacher trainings throughout West Virginia. Nicole co-founded and co-hosts the pediatric podcast “More Than Child’s Play”, has consulted for organizations such as The Lego Foundation on play-based initiatives, was the 2022 recipient of WVU Physical Therapy Department’s Mary Lou Barnes Award for Distinguished Professional Service, and teaches a yearly lecture to WVU Physical Therapy students in the pediatric section. Tabi Jones-Wohleber is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)-focused SLP who has worked with families through WV Birth to Three for the past seven years. For 16 years, she was a team leader on the assistive technology team for a public school system. Tabi is a contributor to PrAACtical AAC Blog, created the widely shared model as a MASTER PAL training series, and co-developed Stepping Into AAC. She has also authored chapters on AAC implementations in various texts. Tabi has worked with Angelman Syndrome family organizations in multiple countries, and presents on AAC-related topics at local, state, national and international conferences. With over two decades of experience as a pediatric occupational therapist, Leslie Bowman specializes in early intervention, helping children and their families navigate developmental challenges. She holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and a Post-Professional Doctorate in occupational therapy from Shenandoah University, with extensive experience across NICU, inpatient/outpatient, school-based and early intervention settings. Leslie’s expertise includes infant and toddler development, sensory processing, neonatal toxic exposure, feeding skills and medically complex conditions. She is passionate about empowering caregivers with the knowledge and tools to support their child’s growth, ensuring they reach their full potential. Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 3: Communication and Empathy
04/01/2025
Episode 3: Communication and Empathy
Effective communication is crucial in healthcare. In this episode, Dr. Teresa Trogdon Anderson MD, MA, FAAP joins us to explore the challenges of conveying complex medical information to parents while offering strategies for fostering empathetic and transparent conversations. Teresa Trogdon Anderson is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the WVU School of Medicine and Emerita Professor of Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She practiced general pediatrics in New Mexico (Indian Health Service 1993-97, Lovelace Health Systems 1997-2002, the University of New Mexico 2002-2021) and cared for many patients with complex medical issues. Her position as a faculty member at UNM spanned patient care, education, scholarly activities and hospital administration. In her roles at UNM as medical director for the pediatric primary care faculty practice, pediatric resident continuity clinic and pediatric urgent care she was integral to the implementation of NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home for pediatrics. She served as Chief of the Division of General and Community Pediatrics for several years. Her teaching passions center on the human dimensions of medicine, particularly patient-centered/relationship-centered interviewing and care. As faculty at UNM, she directed foundational courses in doctoring for first year medical students, taught ethics and professionalism, taught clinical reasoning and clinical skills, precepted pediatric clerkship tutorials and presented educational topics for pediatric and family medicine residents. Dr. Anderson is the recipient of numerous teaching awards. She was honored to be recognized with the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Leonard Tow 2012 Humanism in Medicine Award from UNM, “in recognition of exemplary compassion, competence and respect in the delivery of care.” In her final year at UNM, she received the Pediatric Faculty Phase II Clinical Teacher Award from UNM medical students. After relocating to West Virginia, Dr. Anderson connected with the Department of Pediatrics as volunteer faculty. Her activities include Interprofessional Education (IPE) at the WVU Health Sciences Center, the teaching of communication and clinical skills to first- and second-year medical students via PDCI and coaching for pediatric residents. She is a faculty preceptor for Project DOCC (Family Experience/Delivery of Chronic Care) as well as for the core IPE curriculum. . Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 4: Addressing Mental Health
04/01/2025
Episode 4: Addressing Mental Health
Mental health professional and podcaster, Dr. Lia Gaggino, discusses the impact of long-term medical care on caregivers and provides strategies to address and support their mental well-being. Dr. Gaggino is the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) District V representative to the AAP Board of Directors, chairs the AAP Board Committee on Policy, served as Chair of the AAP National Nominating Committee in 2019 and partners closely within the Michigan Chapter of the AAP. She is an expert faculty member for the EDC Zero Suicide Institute and has been a consultant to the Michigan Clinical Consultation and Care (MC3) Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program (PMHCA) since its inception in 2012. A primary care pediatrician with 34 years of clinical practice, Dr. Gaggino also served as the Medical Director of Behavioral Health for Bronson Healthcare System from 2015-2020. Her work included implementing the Zero Suicide framework and creating integrated behavioral health programs embedding social work in 26 child and adult primary care clinics. Dr. Gaggino is the host of the Pediatric Meltdown podcast featuring over 235 interviews with experts on the emotional well-being of children, adolescents, young adults and the pediatric clinicians who care for them. She was also a contributor and consultant to the popular “American Girl’s The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book”. Selected podcasts and readings: Roadmap Project podcast Palliative Care/Grief and Loss Helping Kids Thrive: A Parent’s Story Several episodes on physician well-being Critical incident stress management (CISM) . Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 5: Navigating Transitions
04/01/2025
Episode 5: Navigating Transitions
Transitions, whether from hospital to home or from one stage of care to another, can be daunting for families. This episode explores how healthcare professionals can guide and ease these transitions for medically complex children and their parents. Join us in discussion with Nikki Montgomery, MA, MEd, GPAC, the Director of Strategy and Communications for Family Voices. Nikki’s passion for empowering youth and families spans the last two decades, during which she has been an educator, a health literacy specialist and a patient advocate. Nikki identifies as neurodivergent and is the parent of a child with autism, complex health care needs, and a rare and disabling genetic condition which her late sister also had (RYR-1 congenital fiber-type disproportion myopathy). In addition to a graduate certificate in Patient Advocacy, for which her research focused on increasing engagement and safety for parents of medically complex children, Nikki has master’s degrees in English and in educational psychology, with thesis research on health literacy and critical thinking for parents of medically complex children. She is the author of the Super Safe Kids pediatric patient safety books and two books for caregivers of children with special health care needs. Nikki currently serves on the Patient Engagement Advisory Panel for the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI); the Board of Directors for The Superhero Project; and the Patient Experience Policy Forum and Global Patient and Family Advisory Boards for The Beryl Institute, and many other health advocacy roles. . Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 6: Cultural Competence and Diversity
04/01/2025
Episode 6: Cultural Competence and Diversity
Understanding the unique needs of diverse families is essential. Cultural competency experts discuss ways to provide inclusive and sensitive care to families from various backgrounds. Join us in discussion with guest Dr. Gabrina Dixon. Dr. Dixon is a board-certified Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) attending at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. She is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Dr. Dixon enjoys being able to teach fellows, residents and medical students about general pediatrics and pediatric hospital medicine. Due to her love of teaching, Dr. Dixon received a Master of Arts in Education from George Washington University in 2018. In addition to her regular responsibilities, she is the director of Advancing Diversity in Academic Pediatrics (ADAP), a program at Children’s National aimed to increase the amount of underrepresented medical students who pursue academic pediatrics. Her research interests include diversity, equity and inclusion, and bias in medicine. She is the co-director of HEAR-PHM (Health Equity Academic Research in Pediatric Hospital Medicine), a health equity program funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health. Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own and do not represent the official views of their employers. Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 7: Navigating the Long Haul: Supporting Families Through Extended Medical Stays
04/01/2025
Episode 7: Navigating the Long Haul: Supporting Families Through Extended Medical Stays
In this episode of "Compassionate Care," we dive into the impact of long-term hospitalizations on families and how healthcare providers can offer crucial support. During this discussion we explore how extended medical stays affect healthcare providers themselves. Discover ways to maintain empathy and professionalism while managing the emotional demands of caring for patients with prolonged needs. Discuss effective strategies for preparing families for the next phase of care. We provide actionable tips for medical teams to enhance their resilience and maintain a compassionate approach throughout extended patient care Shannon Parrish, our expert guest, is Neonatal ICU Lead Clinical Nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She started there as a clinical nurse extern in 2013 and worked her way up the clinical ladder over the last 11 years. Shannon is passionate about bedside nursing, mental health, wellness and mindfulness. In the last two years, she has served as chair of her unit’s Welcoming Committee, for which she developed the NICU Mentorship Program, as well as a work-life wellness class for new-grad nurse orientation in an effort to help with retention and burnout. When Shannon isn’t taking care of babies in the NICU, she is a wife and mother of identical twin boys. Her journey into motherhood inspired her to improve mental health and wellness for her nursing peers. Experiencing a high-risk pregnancy and NICU stay was an eye-opening experience that renewed her passion for nursing and empathy for NICU families. Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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Episode 8: Building Parent-Caregiver Partnerships
04/01/2025
Episode 8: Building Parent-Caregiver Partnerships
Expert guest, Dr. Annique Hogan explores how to create collaborative relationships between parents and healthcare professionals, recognizing that parents are integral members of the care team. Annique K. Hogan, MD is a complex care general pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She has spent her career at CHOP, dedicated to the care of medically complex patients both in the inpatient and the ambulatory setting, being recognized with numerous awards for her work caring for these children and teaching in the field of complex care pediatrics. She is the Medical Director of the inpatient Complex Care Service, the founder and Medical Director of the CHOP Compass Care program, the Medical Director of Care Management, and the Medical Director for CHOP Home Care. She loves creating and improving systems of care for children with medical complexity, teaching about complex care, and caring for these incredible children and their families. Resources: Music: Daylight by JayJen Sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and Produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
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