Children''s Health Ireland at Crumlin

Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening gastrointestinal condition predominantly affecting preterm infants. The majority of patients with NEC are treated medically, however, approximately 25

Introduction: Medical training assessment frameworks have continued to evolve to effectively capture clinical competency and graduation readiness. Entrustable Professional Activities are being integrated into training programs and describe the activities expected in practice to guide education and assessment. U.S. Pediatric cardiology fellowship programs have been working on creating and implementing these since 2015. We sought to investigate the current landscape of EPA implementation and perceptions amongst fellowship training program directors. Methods: This was a mixed-methods study with grounded theory employing both qualitative and quantitative assessments utilizing a survey instrument distributed to the Society of Pediatric Cardiology Training Program Directors from August 2023 to October 2023. Open-ended prompts were manually coded by two independent team members followed by theme creation. Demographics and descriptive statistics were summarized by frequencies with percentages and Likert-scale responses were tabulated. Results: 24 of 62 pediatric cardiology program directors (39

Compassion and empathy are essential to family-centered care but are often inconsistently applied. This structured narrative review synthesizes current evidence on compassion and communication in congenital heart disease (CHD) and identifies practical strategies for strengthening these skills. A structured narrative review was conducted following SANRA quality criteria and narrative review guidance. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched (January 2000–October 2025) using predefined Boolean combinations of MeSH and keyword terms related to compassion, empathy, communication, counselling, pediatric cardiology, and congenital heart disease. Two reviewers independently screened records and extracted data. Thirty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Evidence suggests that compassion enhances understanding, parental coping, adherence, and clinician wellbeing. Families report substantial gaps in empathic communication at diagnosis, during intensive care, and across the CHD life course. Emerging training interventions (e.g., simulation-based curricula), counselling aids (e.g., 3D models), and the use of structured communication frameworks support improved practice. Key enablers include organizational culture, leadership modelling, and structured feedback. Compassionate communication is a teachable clinical competency. These findings support integration of structured communication training within pediatric cardiology programs and reflective practice to enhance family experience and clinician resilience.

Paediatric cardiology has achieved remarkable technical progress, yet its true measure remains human. Beyond anatomy and intervention lies the experience of the child, the family, and the clinician. This Perspective proposes a “triple gift” of kindness, compassion, and humility as essential human factors in contemporary practice. Each represents both a personal quality and an organisational principle. Together they foster trust, deepen understanding, and sustain teamwork. Practical ways to nurture these values in clinical, educational, and institutional settings are outlined. Ultimately, how we care for children and families remains a personal and professional choice, shaped by individual values, experience, and circumstance. Small, intentional acts of kindness, compassion, and humility can meaningfully influence the care we give our patients.

Paediatric oncology surgeons play a crucial role in diagnosing, staging, and treating malignant solid tumors. In recent years, many solid tumour protocols have advocated for a more tailored surgical approach to both the primary tumour site and metastatic disease. The integration of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) into paediatric oncology practice has gained popularity over the past few decades. While the benefits of MIS are well established in non-oncologic surgery, its role in paediatric solid tumours is still evolving and, in many cases, lacks high-quality evidence. These IPSO-MIS guidelines guidelines aim to provide practical surgical recommendations for diverse clinical scenarios, addressing the needs of both High-Income Countries (HICs) and Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The contributing authors represent both settings, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive perspective. We hope that these guidelines will contribute to improving outcomes for children with cancer worldwide. Israel Fernandez-Pineda, IPSO Education Committee Chair Abdelhafeez H Abdelhafeez, IPSO Education Committee Member.