Developing and Adapting the Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC)-Pediatrics Curriculum for Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Abstract

Pediatric Palliative Care provision is currently inequitable for tamariki (children) with serious illness, and their whānau in Aotearoa New Zealand. A lack of access to education for health professionals has long been identified as a barrier to implementing quality delivery of pediatric palliative care. The Education in Palliative and End of Life Care for Pediatrics (EPEC-Ped) curriculum was developed in 2012 and has been internationally recognized as a high-quality curriculum with demonstrated results in changing practice. This paper explores how this curriculum has been adapted to meet the needs of clinicians working with children in Aotearoa New Zealand. We particularly explore how tikanga Māori (Indigenous customs and traditions) have been integrated into the programme to create a culturally relevant and safe space for practitioners to learn.