Nutritional and Pediatric Patient Care In Humanitarian Settings

About Course

Nutritional and Pediatric Patient Care in Humanitarian Settings is a comprehensive training program designed for healthcare professionals working in emergency, crisis, and resource-limited environments. The course provides practical knowledge and hands-on skills in the assessment, treatment, and ongoing care of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and other critical pediatric conditions.

Participants will learn structured protocols for inpatient and outpatient nutritional treatment, infection prevention, emergency response, clinical procedures, and safe patient transfers. Emphasis is placed on accurate documentation, teamwork, and rapid decision-making to improve survival rates and quality of care for vulnerable pediatric populations.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently manage nutritional and medical needs, from admission through discharge, using internationally recognized humanitarian health guidelines.

Understand what Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is and how it affects children.
Identify the signs, symptoms, and causes of malnutrition in children.
Learn how to assess, admit, and discharge patients in nutrition programs.
Understand how nutrition centers (ATFC and ITFC) work in humanitarian settings.
Learn the correct use of therapeutic foods such as F-75, F-100, and RUTF.
Prepare and give therapeutic feeds safely to malnourished children.
Manage inpatient and outpatient treatment for children with SAM.
Learn how to transfer and refer patients safely between facilities.
Provide emergency care to children with conditions like shock, dehydration, or sepsis.
Apply Emergency Triage, Assessment, and Treatment (ETAT) principles.
Perform basic clinical procedures such as NG tube feeding, IV line insertion, and monitoring vitals.
Practice good infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in nutrition centers.
Understand how to manage anemia, dehydration, and other emergencies in SAM patients.
Learn simplified treatment approaches used in emergencies or low-resource settings.
Manage infants under 6 months using the MAMI (Management of At-risk Mothers and Infants) approach.
Support breastfeeding and alternative feeding methods for infants.
Provide psychosocial support to caregivers and families.
Offer IYCF-E (Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies) counselling to mothers.
Keep proper documentation and patient records for nutrition and pediatric cases.
Collect and report data for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of nutrition programs.
Understand key humanitarian principles such as humanity, neutrality, and impartiality.
Work effectively in a team and coordinate with other health and nutrition workers.
Make rapid and safe decisions during emergencies.
Communicate clearly with patients, caregivers, and other team members.
Follow international guidelines (WHO, UNICEF, SPHERE) for treating malnutrition.
Improve survival and recovery rates among malnourished and critically ill children.
Build confidence to work in emergency, crisis, and low-resource settings.
Learn how to plan, monitor, and evaluate nutrition program performance.
Understand the importance of ethical and professional conduct in humanitarian work.
Strengthen knowledge, skills, and attitude for quality pediatric and nutritional care.

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Severe Acute .Malnutrition (SAM) and Pediatric Patients
Module 1: Introduction to Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Pediatric Patients Introduction Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is a life-threatening condition that affects children, especially in humanitarian settings. It occurs when a child does not get enough nutrients for healthy growth, leading to extreme weight loss (wasting) or swelling (edema). Pediatric patients are children from birth to 18 years old, and they require special medical care based on their age and needs. This module will help you understand what SAM is, how it affects children, and the basics of pediatric care in humanitarian settings.

What is SAM? – Definition, causes, and impact on health.

00:00
Who is a SAM Patient? – Identifying characteristics of SAM patients.

00:00
Who is a Pediatric Patient? – Age classification and special considerations in care.

Module 2: Understanding Nutritional Treatment Centers (ATFC & ITFC)
Introduction In this module, we will learn about Nutritional Treatment Centers, which are places where children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) receive treatment. There are two main types of centers: 1. Ambulatory Therapeutic Feeding Centers (ATFC) – These centers treat children **without severe complications. Children visit the center regularly for check-ups, nutritional support, and medicine, but they stay at home. 2. Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centers (ITFC) – These are for children who are very sick and need 24-hour medical care. They stay at the center until they are stable. Both centers play a key role in saving the lives of malnourished children. In this module, we will understand how these centers work, the differences between them, and the treatment given in each.

Module 3: Nutritional Management and Product Use
Module 3: Nutritional Management and Product Use Introduction Proper nutrition is the key to saving children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). This module will teach you how to feed malnourished children, the special therapeutic foods used in treatment, and the correct steps for nutritional recovery. You will learn about Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), therapeutic milk (F-75 & F-100), and other essential nutrition products used in both ATFC and ITFC.

Module 4: Patient Movement and Transfers

Module 5: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Critical Care Management

Module 6: Documentation and Reporting

Module 7: Clinical Responsibilities and Procedures

Module 8: Infection Prevention and Essential Procedures

Module 9: Emergency Management in SAM and Pediatric Patients

Module 10: Simplified and Combined Approaches in Humanitarian Settings

Module 11: Management of Infants Under 6 Months with Malnutrition (MAMI Approach) 9 Lessons

Module 12: Psychosocial Support and IYCF-E Counselling

Module 13: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting in Nutrition Programs
In humanitarian settings, it is important to know if nutrition programs are working well and truly helping children and families. Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (often called M&E) help teams understand what is going well, what needs to be improved, and how to make better decisions for saving lives. This module introduces basic M&E concepts for health and nutrition staff working in the field.

Module 14 : Understanding Humanitarian Principles in Nutrition and Pediatric Care
Humanitarian principles form the ethical and professional foundation for all activities in emergencies. Nutrition and pediatric care providers must understand and apply these principles to ensure fairness, dignity, and accountability in every service they deliver. This module will help participants align their daily work with global humanitarian standards and ethical practices.

Module 15: Integrated Management of Nutritionally At-Risk Infants Under 6 Months (<6m): Inpatient Nutrition and Medical Care

Final Course Quiz – Nutritional and Pediatric Patient Care in Humanitarian Settings

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

What is SAM? – Definition, causes, and impact on health.

Who is a SAM Patient? – Identifying characteristics of SAM patients.

Who is a Pediatric Patient? – Age classification and special considerations in care.

Understanding ATFC (Ambulatory Therapeutic Feeding Center) and ITFC (Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Center) – Structure, function, and purpose.

Triage, Anthropometric Measurements, and Emergency Room (ER) Procedures – How to assess patients using weight, height, MUAC, and other criteria.

Admission and Discharge Criteria for ATFC and ITFC – When and how patients qualify for treatments in different centers.

Understanding Nutritional Management and Products Used – Overview of therapeutic food, micronutrient supplementation, and feeding protocols.

Understanding Phases and Transition in Treatment – Different phases of care and corresponding nutritional interventions.

Module 4: Patient Movement and Transfers

Criteria for Transfer of Patients from Phase to Transition – When a patient is ready to move to the next stage.

Criteria for Transfer of Patients from Transition Phase – Ensuring stability before discharge or further movement.

Module 5: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Critical Care Management

Understanding ICU and ICU Standards – Roles, monitoring, and interventions in the ICU.

Movement of Patients from ICU to Phase – Criteria for stepping down care.

Movement of Patients from Phase to ICU – Identifying patients who need intensive monitoring and care.

Module 6: Documentation and Reporting

Writing Nursing Notes and Reports – Importance of documentation, structure, and examples.

When and How to Write an Incident Report – Recognizing critical events and proper reporting.

Module 7: Clinical Responsibilities and Procedures

Understanding Ward Rounds and Responsibilities – Role of nurses and aides in daily rounds and patient updates.

Patient Assessment and Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) – Identifying deteriorating patients and escalating care.

Pharmacy Management, Drug management, Inventory control, Ordering and consumption tracking

Intravenous (IV) Cannulation — Safe and Effective Practice in Pediatric and Humanitarian Settings

Nasogastric Tube (NGT) Insertion — Safe Practice

Urinary Catheterization — Safe Insertion, Maintenance and Removal

Intraosseous (IO) Insertion — Emergency Vascular Access in Critical Care

Module 8: Infection Prevention and Essential Procedures

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) – Standard precautions, PPE use, and hand hygiene.

Essential Procedures – Blood transfusion, NG tube insertion, Urinary catheterization, IV line placement, Intraosseous (IO) and intranasal oxygen support

Disinfectants and Antiseptics in the Humanitarian Context

Standard Procedure for Wound Care (International Standards)

Module 9: Emergency Management in SAM and Pediatric Patients

Understanding Emergencies and Management

Recognizing changes in patient condition

Respiratory Difficulties – Airway management and oxygen therapy

Anemia – Identifying severe anemia and blood transfusion criteria

Hypoglycemia – Signs, treatment, and prevention in malnourished children

Shock – Types, recognition, and immediate management

Dehydration – Rehydration protocols and monitoring

Convulsions (Seizures) — Rapid Recognition and Management

Module 10: Simplified and Combined Approaches in Humanitarian Settings

Introduction to Simplified and Combined Approaches

MUAC-Only Admission and Discharge

Single Product Use — RUTF for All

Community-Based Screening and Follow-Up

Integrated MAM/SAM Management (Combined Protocol)

When to Apply Simplified vs. Standard Approach

Monitoring, Supervision, and Quality Assurance

Key Challenges and Practical Solutions

Module 11: Management of Infants Under 6 Months with Malnutrition (MAMI Approach) 9 Lessons

Management of Infants Under 6 Months with Malnutrition (MAMI Approach) 9 Lessons

Module 12: Psychosocial Support and IYCF-E Counselling

Understanding Psychosocial Support in Humanitarian Settings

Identifying Emotional Distress and Trauma in Caregivers and Children

Providing Basic Psychosocial Support (Psychological First Aid – PFA)

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Referral in Psychosocial and IYCF-E Support

Case Studies and Practical Exercises on Psychosocial and IYCF-E Support

Staff Well-being, Burnout Prevention, and Self-care in Psychosocial and IYCF-E Work

Community Engagement and Sustainability of Psychosocial and IYCF-E Programs

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting in Nutrition Programs

Key Nutrition Indicators and Data Collection

Using Data for Decision-Making and Program Improvement

Reporting and Feedback Mechanisms in Nutrition Programs

Data Quality Assurance and Continuous Learning

Introduction to Humanitarian Principles

Humanitarian Ethics and Accountability

Humanitarian Coordination and Standards

Applying Humanitarian Principles in Nutrition and Health Programs

Module 15: Integrated Management of Nutritionally At-Risk Infants Under 6 Months (<6m): Inpatient Nutrition and Medical Care

Lesson 1: Identification and Classification of Nutritionally At-Risk Infants (<6m)

Lesson 2: Admission Criteria, Referral Pathways, and Exit Protocols in ATFC and ITFC

Lesson 3: Organization of Inpatient Care and Breastfeeding Support

Lesson 4: Systematic Medical Management of Nutritionally At-Risk Infants (<6m)

Lesson 5: Nutritional Rehabilitation, Discharge, and Post-Discharge Follow-Up

Lesson 6: Monitoring, Follow-Up, and Safe Discharge of Nutritionally At-Risk Infants (<6m)

Final Course Quiz – Nutritional and Pediatric Patient Care in Humanitarian Settings

Final Quiz Assessment