7th Biennial Perinatal Palliative Care Symposium: Aspects of Trauma in Perinatal Palliative Care 

7th Biennial Perinatal Palliative Care Symposium:
Aspects of Trauma in Perinatal Palliative Care   

Friday, March 27, 2026; 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Registration opens at 8:00am)

Location: John H. Ammon Education Center, ChristianaCare Newark Campus, Newark, DE

Registration is required! No late registrations will be accepted.

Registration Deadline: March 23, 2026

$95 registration fee for ChristianaCare employees
$125 registration fee for Non-ChristianaCare employees
$25 registration fee for Emeritus Health Care Professionals, Students, and Trainees
(no checks)

Cost Center Transfers are accepted (for CC Employees ONLY), an email will be sent to those choosing to pay by cost center at the close of registration.

Questions: For ALL event questions, please contact Amy Minsker in the CME office at amy.l.minsker@christianacare.org 

 

Overview

The 7th Biennial Perinatal Palliative Care Symposium is an educational program designed to enhance the knowledge and clinical competence of healthcare professionals involved in the care of families facing perinatal or neonatal loss. This year’s sessions will address critical topics at the intersection of clinical practice, ethics, and family support, including health equity, cultural sensitivity, and the integration of ritual in perinatal palliative care. Content will also focus on evidence-based approaches to supporting bereaved siblings and fostering resilience within families experiencing loss. The program will include a moderated panel discussion with a family who has experienced neonatal loss, providing participants with an opportunity to learn directly from lived experiences. Through this engagement, attendees will deepen their understanding of the psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of perinatal palliative care and strengthen their ability to deliver compassionate, family-centered care.

Target Audience

This event is intended for Primary Care Physicians, Specialty Physicians, Psychologists, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Chaplaincy, Social Work, Neonatologists, Pediatricians, and Hospice/Palliative Care.

Statement of Need

Healthcare providers increasingly encounter patients affected by trauma, parental mental health challenges, and spiritual distress. Despite growing recognition of these factors in patient outcomes, many clinicians lack comprehensive knowledge of trauma-informed approaches and evidence-based practices for integrating mental and spiritual care into clinical settings. This educational activity is designed to address these knowledge gaps by enhancing provider understanding of trauma-informed care principles, best practices in supporting parental mental health, and strategies for incorporating spiritual care into treatment. Improved knowledge in these areas will strengthen the quality and effectiveness of patient care across diverse populations..

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity learners should be able to:

1. Describe the importance of health equity as an essential component of perinatal palliative care.
2. Explain the role of cultural sensitivity and the use of ritual in supporting families during perinatal palliative care.
3. Identify effective strategies to support bereaved siblings and outline the contributions of Child Life services in providing that support.
4. Discuss approaches to supporting families following a neonatal loss to promote emotional and psychosocial healing.
5. Examine the importance of self-care practices in maintaining healthcare professionals’ well-being and resilience.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Medical Society of Delaware and Christiana Care. The Medical Society of Delaware is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

It is the policy of the Medical Society of Delaware (MSD) to comply with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support of Continuing Medical Education (CME). In keeping with these standards, all faculty participating in continuing medical education provided by MSD are expected to disclose to the activity audience any real or apparent relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies related to the content of their presentations.

Joint providership of CME by MSD in no way implies endorsement of any product or service. 

This activity is not supported by commercial funding.

Credit Designation Statement

The Medical Society of Delaware designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Faculty and Disclosures

In accordance with the appropriate accrediting bodies, all planners, teachers, and authors with control over activity content are required to disclose to the provider any relevant financial relationships (those held by the planner or significant other, currently or within the last 24 months) with commercial interests/ineligible companies. Accredited providers are required to provide this information to learners before the start of an activity.

The following is a list of the faculty, along with any information they have disclosed regarding their relevant financial relationships.

Shazia Bhat, MD (Planner, Activity Director, Moderator) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
Amy Minsker (Planner, Coordinator) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
Barbara Dean, BSN, RNC-NIC, CPLC (Planner, Moderator) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
Jineen Flagg, RN (Planner) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Melanie Chichester, BSN, RNC-OB, CPLC (Planner, Moderator) - on advisory board for Laerdal Patient Safety Advisory Board - All of the relevant financial relationships listed for this individual have been mitigated.

Wendy Sturtz, MD (Planner, Moderator) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Terri Lynn Major-Kincade, MD, MPH, FAAP (Speaker) -  on Advisory Board for Proctor and Gamble:Womb to World Advisory; consultant for Proctor and Gamble:Womb to World Advisory; received speaker honoraria from for Proctor and Gamble:Womb to World Advisory - All of the relevant financial relationships listed for this individual have been mitigated.

Erin M Denney-Koelsch, MD (Speaker) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
Shannon Taylor (Speaker) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
Stacy Noel, MSN, FNP-BC, HWNC-BC, Reiki Master, HTCP/I (Speaker) - has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose
 

Disclaimer

All information contained within this activity is intended for educational purposes only. Physicians and other health care professionals are encouraged to consult other sources and confirm the information contained in this educational event. No single reference or service can take the place of medical training, education and experience. This educational event does not define a standard of care, nor is it intended to dictate an exclusive course of management. This information should not substitute for a visit or consultation with a health care provider.

Technical Requirements

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