In-Depth Training Opportunity in Chicago for Families and Caregivers of Children with Complex Medical Needs
This free in-person training will take place July 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 Wednesday, July 24, through Thursday, July 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 expressed 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.
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, email connect@almosthomekids.org or contact Yolanda Rivera at yrivera@luriechildrens.org.
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
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.
Free Course On How to Care for Children With a Trach
NOTE: please see our updated post “New Training Resources on Caring for Children With Trachs” for the latest information on free training resources on caring for children with a tracheostomy tube.
A free course is available for how to care for children with a tracheostomy (trach) with/without a ventilator.
The course is available online until Dec. 31, 2021.
eHomeCare is an online training program designed to provide comprehensive information for those caring for children with a trach with/without a ventilator.
This training is for:
- Nurses working in home-based environments
- Physicians
- Respiratory therapists
- Family members and caregivers of children with trachs with/without ventilators
- Anyone interested in learning more about caring for this population
The eHomeCare course includes five modules:
- Pediatric Airway and Tracheostomy
- Oxygenation and Ventilation
- Suctioning and Bronchial Hygiene
- Tracheostomy Care and Tube Changes
- Emergency Preparedness
It will take about four to five hours to complete the course.
Free continuing education credits are available.
Learners can use this course for their initial training, an annual review and/or as an ongoing resource.
Participants must create an account and enroll on the eHomeCare webpage.
If you have questions, please contact whitmore.research@son.wisc.edu.