From Conception to End of Life

by Pam Roman, director of inpatient/pediatric services

We realized that in order to support expectant mothers who are told their babies will not survive birth, we needed to create a pediatric team to walk beside them through pregnancy, birth and hospice care. We are able to provide those services at Ryan House and through our Pediatric Palliative Home Care program.

We also have been called upon to participate in home births alongside midwives. Respecting parents’ wishes during pregnancy, labor, birth, life—however long that may be—and death is a gift to all involved. Our pediatric team works with fetal cardiologists, neonatologists and maternal fetal physicians at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and other hospitals to support parents expecting a sick baby.

Children who are not in hospice may enroll in our Pediatric Palliative Home Care program to receive support from nurses, social workers, child life specialists and chaplains. Many of the children we serve are cared for by pediatricians in their private practices who also work for Hospice of the Valley. Children who qualify for pediatric palliative home care also qualify for Ryan House, a respite and end-of-life care inpatient unit.

Our team cares for our children at Ryan House as well as in home settings. The pediatric services team is comprised of three pediatricians, 10 nurses, four certified nursing assistants, three social workers, one chaplain, one certified child life specialist and one team assistant.

We are passionate about our service to children and their families. We are honored to be able to provide services wherever a family may be on their journey.