Surgical palliative care in Haiti.

Palliative care in itself has many challenges; these challenges are compounded exponentially when placed in the setting of a mass casualty event, such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Haiti itself was an austere environment with very little infrastructure before the disaster. US surgeons, intensivists, and nurses worked hand in hand with other international providers and Haitian volunteers to provide the best care for the many.

Surgical palliative care in Haiti.

Palliative care in itself has many challenges; these challenges are compounded exponentially when placed in the setting of a mass casualty event, such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Haiti itself was an austere environment with very little infrastructure before the disaster. US surgeons, intensivists, and nurses worked hand in hand with other international providers and Haitian volunteers to provide the best care for the many.

Educating surgeons for the new golden hours: honing the skills of palliative care.

All surgeons should maintain a lifetime commitment to education and learning. Those who already are in practice need to make the effort to obtain or refresh their education in basic competencies in palliative care and to provide a measured balance between philosophy and practical skills. Many resources and teaching tools are available to assist in this continuing process: surgical peers (and peers from other medical specialties),journals, textbooks, CME conferences, surgical governance and educational organizations, and palliative care websites.