In-Depth Simulated Training in Chicago for Families and Caregivers of Children with Complex Medical Needs

August 28th, 2024

A woman in a mask checking the tracheostomy tube of an infant medical training mannequin in a simulation room setting

This free in-person training will take place Sept. 24-25 at UIC’s Simulation and Integrative Learning Center in Chicago.

Registration is now open for a special in-person training program for the families and caregivers of children with complex medical needs.

This free two-day training will take place Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the University of Illinois Chicago Simulation and Integrative Learning (SAIL) Center on the fifth floor at 1220 S. Wood St. in Chicago.

Families have shared the need for more support for parents/caregivers of children with complex medical needs. We are excited to partner with Almost Home Kids to provide this valuable training opportunity. It will offer essential tools and knowledge to help you in your caregiving journey.

You may attend this training if you:

  • Are the parent or caregiver of a child in the Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Those Who Are Medically Fragile Technology Dependent (MFTD waiver)
  • Have prior experience in caring for a child with a tracheostomy (trach) tube and/or a child with a trach tube and ventilator
  • Are able to commit to online learning before the in-person learning days
  • Can attend both dates to complete the training

The training will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The in-depth curriculum will include:

  • Reducing the risk of infection
  • Skin care
  • Daily care of the child with a tracheostomy and ventilator
  • Activity and movement
  • Equipment and alarms
  • Gastrostomy care and feeding
  • Tracheostomy basics
  • Respiratory assessment and interventions
  • Ventilator training with hands-on practice
  • Emergency preparedness
  • Caregiver resiliency and well-being
  • Simulation learning experience

You can also see the Caregiver Simulated Training flyer for more details.

Please sign up online to participate in the training. There is no cost to attend.

For more information, contact Yolanda Rivera, Nursing Professional Development Specialist and Clinical Educator, at connect@almosthomekids.org or (630) 271-9155, ext. 114.

This training is part of our efforts to use federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to improve support and services for families of children with complex medical needs.

Almost Home Kids (AHK) provides a bridge from hospital to home through an innovative community-based care system for children with medical complexities. Its services include:

  • Responding to the needs of families
  • Training caregivers
  • Advocating for accessibility and inclusion
  • Educating healthcare professionals

Almost Home Kids has locations in Chicago, Naperville and Peoria.

New Training Resources on Caring for Children With Trachs

October 2nd, 2023

A young girl with a tracheostomy tube smiles at the camera while sitting in a small pink chair

A new video and an updated free online course are available to help support the care of children with tracheostomy tubes

Parents and caregivers have a lot to learn when their child needs a tracheostomy (trach) tube to breathe.

Our Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) team is here to support and guide families through learning how to care for their children’s complex medical needs.

We’ve gathered two new training resources to help families understand trach care.

Lurie Children’s Hospital Video on How to Handle Trach Emergencies

When emergency situations occur, it’s very important to keep the child’s trach tube open and in place.

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has developed a video to help parents, caregivers and others know how to handle emergency situations with pediatric trach patients.

In this video, Lurie nurses explain:

  • How to prevent and assess emergency situations
  • How to manage a mucous plug
  • How to replace a trach tube that has become dislodged
  • What to do if the trach tube is difficult to replace
  • When to provide manual ventilation using bag to trach tube, bag and mask to mouth, and mouth to mouth

We encourage our participant families in the Home Care Program to watch this video. Many of the children and youth in the Home Care Program rely on trachs and ventilators to breathe.

Please note that watching this video alone is not enough training to safely care for a child with a trach. Families should speak with their child’s doctors and care team about any questions or training needs.

For more information on how to safely care for a trach tube, you can visit Lurie’s Tracheostomy Care at Home webpage.

Free eHomeCare Course on How to Care for Children With A Trach

An updated free online course is available on how to care for children with trachs with or without a ventilator.

The eHomeCare program training is for:

  • Nurses working in home-based environments
  • Physicians
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Family members and caregivers of children with trachs with and without ventilators
  • Students from health professions

The course is available until Sept. 30, 2026.

Learners can use this course for initial training, an annual review or as an ongoing resource.

The course learning objectives are:

  • Describe best practices for providing day-to-day care for children with trachs with or without ventilators in the community
  • Explain how to manage emergency situations for children with trachs with or without ventilators in the community
  • Report an increase in confidence when caring for children with trachs with or without ventilators in the community
  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of members of the healthcare team.

Free continuing education credits are available.

If you have trouble enrolling in the course or need help, please email help@icep.wisc.edu.

Again, please note that families should speak with their child’s doctors and care team about any questions or training needs for their child with a trach.

Our participant families can also contact their DSCC Care Coordinator with questions.