Family Advisory Council

Family Faculty Program

Parents and Residents Teach Each Other and Learn About Family-Centered Care

Family Faculty Program

Parent and Family Advisory Council member Shari Parker talks with residents as part of the Family Faculty Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Parent Shari Parker talks with residents.

During early 2004, a group of Family Advisory Council volunteers formed a planning committee to create the Family Faculty Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

"Pediatrics is a unique subspecialty; we care for children who are always under the care of others (parents)," said Javier Gonzales de Rey, MD, associate director, Emergency Medicine and director of the Pediatric Residency Program. "What better way to make us more complete pediatricians than to incorporate our families in our decision process and, most importantly, to learn from them how to care for their families?"

What is the Family Faculty Program at Cincinnati Children's?

At Cincinnati Children's, the Family Faculty Program is a structured opportunity for parents to participate in the training of health professionals to ensure meaningful interactions and exchanges.

At Cincinnati Children's, the Family Faculty Program advocates the concept of "consumers as experts" in their child's care. The goal is to foster communication, mutual respect and collaboration between parents and health care providers. Three video sections are being produced: the initial interview, delivering bad news and working with stressed parents.

Family Advisory Council members Jeanne Bloemer and Tina Eubanks volunteered to serve as co-chairs and helped organize and form the Family Faculty Program, with guidance from Patty Wells, MSN, RN, PNP, Family Advisory Council staff liaison, and then Family Advisory Council Co-Chairs Amy Clawson and Edna Morales.

How Family Faculty Members and Residents Teach Each Other

Developmental Disabilities Small Group Discussions

In the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's, residents in rotation training participate in the Family Faculty Program.

In an informal setting, parents volunteer to tell their stories to residents with the objective of presenting their "family" perspectives to physicians. Each parent's presentation is about 30 minutes to allow time for two-way discussions between the residents and parents, including comments, questions. The entire session lasts about one hour and is held on the second Thursday of each month.

Parents share positive experiences; however, negative experiences are used as teaching tools. For example, a parent might ask the residents to consider what they might have done to improve a particular situation.

Parents who decide to participate in the Family Faculty Program will be mentored by experienced Family Advisory Council members.

Susan Wiley, MD, and Becky Taylor, RN, MSN, CNP, serve as facilitators for the Family Faculty Program being conducted for Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics residents.

Family Faculty Sessions at Residents' Noon Conferences

Another aspect of the Family Faculty Program at Cincinnati Children's provides a more formal education opportunity for groups of approximately 100 residents per session during noon conferences.

The Family Faculty Subcommittee is currently developing a video, in which parents and families tell their stories, focusing on their initial interviews with health care providers.

The stories, to be presented in segmented, professionally produced video vignettes, include positive and negative experiences parents have encountered with health care providers. Three video sections are being produced: the initial interview, delivering bad news and stressed parents.

Following presentation of the video to residents, a facilitator -- a physician or family member -- assist with questions and discussions.

Participating families received training from experienced Family Advisory Council members before being filmed.

"We hope the Family Faculty Program will be a fresh, new approach in the medical curriculum at Cincinnati Children's," Amy said. "Families will help the house staff in their education by giving concrete examples of delivering compassionate health care for children and families."