92478 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Palliative Care
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): (92438 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92450 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92024 Medical Surgical Nursing (Graduate Entry) OR 92322 Medical Surgical Nursing OR 92454 Medical Surgical Nursing)) OR ((93211 Clinical Practice 2B OR 93225 Clinical Practice 2B) AND (93207 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A OR 93200 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2A) AND (93224 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B OR 93210 Foundations of Nursing Practice 2B) AND (93214c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A OR 93228c Foundations of Nursing Practice 3A)
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
Note
92478 Introduction to Specialty Practice: Palliative Care is not offered in 2024
Description
Palliative care is an approach to care that is grounded in person-centred assessment and care planning with a focus on living as well as possible with a life-limiting illness. It is essential that all nurses learn about this approach to care given that Australia has an ageing population and an increasing incidence of people living with chronic and complex illnesses. This subject supports students to understand the fundamental aspects of providing a palliative approach to care. There is particular focus on person-centred care, communication skills, symptom assessment and management, and providing collaborative care across health care settings. Students participate in industry-led masterclasses (four six-hour workshops) that utilise innovative teaching and learning activities to develop their ability to provide a palliative approach to care as well as focus on the principles of resilience and self-care to support their own health and wellbeing throughout their nursing career.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Discuss key practices and principles of palliative care, delivered within the context of an interprofessional team, across varied acute and primary health care settings |
|---|---|
| B. | Simulate effective communication in the context of working with people who have palliative care needs, and their families |
| C. | Demonstrate competence in the assessment and evidence based management of common symptoms in palliative care |
| D. | Critically reflect upon principles of self-care and outline how to develop and maintain resilience when faced with challenging areas of nursing care |
| E. | Practice person centred nursing care that is consistent with the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia and Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia within a palliative care environment |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- The embodiment of a professional disposition committed to ethical, equitable and legal nursing practice (2.0)
- The ability to communicate and collaborate safely, compassionately and respectfully. (3.0)
- The ability to provide patient care premised on the best available evidence (4.0)
- Professional cultural competence that contributes to the health and well-being of Indigenous Australians, inclusive of their physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (5.0)
Teaching and learning strategies
In this subject, you will participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to encourage you to care for people with palliative care needs, and their families. Each 6 Unit subject requires 140 hours of work (including face-to-face and self directed learning activities) to successfully complete academic requirements.
Role Play
Role play specifically focusing on therapeutic communication is provided. This simulation involves interactions with palliative care practitioners currently working in specialist palliative care environments. In small groups, students work with these industry colleagues and take on the role of nurse or observer and, with guidance, practice therapeutic engagement and communication skills, such as active listening and empathic responding. The industry colleagues provide immediate and supportive feedback to the students. Case studies used within this simulation engage with sensitive and confronting situations and students are encouraged to consider and practice ways of interacting within these scenarios.
Clinical skills, communication and simulation
Students participate in clinical laboratory sessions that focus on integration of key concepts and skills specifically relevant to end-of-life care. In these sessions, students are introduced to a range of nursing skills, including assessment and care planning. Given the complexity of this area of practice, a focus on real time, point of care resources available for students and new graduates is provided. Simulated activities are used throughout to provide students with practical learning experiences designed to give exposure to a comprehensive range of scenarios that may be encountered in practice. Activities include the use of audio-visual aids, interactive-computer programs and clinical equipment set-ups with mannequins, teaching staff or students. Students learn and practice clinical and interpersonal skills with case scenarios in the laboratories. These practice scenarios incorporate the development of professional communication skills including professional and therapeutic communication required for nursing practice.
Individual learning plans
Students create their own plans for integration of self-care principles into daily life. This enables students to regulate and monitor their own strategies for self-care, resilience and wellbeing.
Clinical placement
In this subject students complete 80 hours of clinical placement experience. Placements are provided in specialist palliative care settings across a range of clinical contexts including hospice settings, primary health care services, community centres and acute care hospitals in metropolitan and rural locations. Students provide nursing care within interprofessional teams to develop and consolidate their knowledge, skills and attributes relevant to palliative care.
Information Technologies
Information technologies will be used by students to access relevant evidence based guidelines related to health assessment in addition to resources suitable for encouraging patient participation in health management.
Content (topics)
Content will include: Overview of the practice and philosophy of palliative care; communication at the end of life; symptom (physical and psychosocial) assessment and management for people with advanced life-limiting illness; optimising care across healthcare teams and across differing health settings; cultural care; supporting people in the context of grief and loss; self-care and resilience for nurses working in challenging areas.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Synopsis of online learning
| Intent: | To develop knowledge, skills and values that are required to communicate and contribute to the care of clients who have a life limiting illness. The online modules focus on developing graduate capabilities in palliative careStudents will complete online learning modules from the PCC4U project and complete a workbook and provide a synopsis. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, C and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 4.0 and 5.0 |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1500 word synopsis (40 marks) + workbook (10 marks) |
Assessment task 2: Symptom assessment and management paper
| Intent: | This assessment contributes to student learning by developing skills and knowledge for a range of core competencies and capabilities in palliative care symptom assessment and management, critical appraisal of evidence, holistic care, communication and interdisciplinary team involvement. Students will be provided with a clinical case scenario and discuss symptom assessment and management based on the best available evidence. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 2000 words |
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018). Deaths, Australia, 2018 3302.0 ABS
Australian Government Department of Health, Palliative Care Curriculum for Undergraduates (PCC4U): <http://www.pcc4u.org/>
Australian Government Department of Health, CareSearch: <http://www.caresearch.com.au/Caresearch/Default.aspx>
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2015 National Consensus Statement: Essential Elements for Safe and High-Quality End-of-Life Care in Acute Hospitals., Australia.
Broom, A, Kirby, E, Good, P, Wootton, J, Yates, P, & Hardy, J (2015) Negotiating futility, managing emotions: Nursing the transition to palliative care. Qualitative Health Research, 25(3), pp. 299-309
Dementia Australia 2017, Palliative Care and Dementia, prepared by Parker, D,. Lewis,J and & Gourlay, K. Dementia Australia
MacLeod, R., & Macfarlane, S (2018). The Palliative Care Handbook. Hammondcare media.
Palliative Care Australia 2018, National Palliative Care Standards 5th edn, PCA, Australia
Therapeutic Guidelines 2016 Palliative Care, Version 4 McPherson Group, Melbourne.
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