Fundamentals of Palliative Care

If you are a health care worker working in primary care, aged care, home care, hospital or hospice settings and caring for people with life limiting illnesses, the Fundamentals of Palliative Care is the learning programme for you. This is now a blended learning approach of self-directed learning modules as well as workshops.

Watch the introductory video

Register and complete the online learning topics at the ‘Knowledge Hub’ (link below) then make a booking at the appropriate workshop at Hospice South Canterbury.

Click here to register and complete

The four topics are:

Essence

Is a prerequisite to all other packages. Essence focuses on what palliative care is, who is involved and cultural considerations. It will help you understand the essence and principles of palliative care and what you need to be prepared for when caring for people in New Zealand at the end of life.

The palliative care approach

This topic focuses on the palliative care approach and how understanding ethics, communication and spirituality can help you improve as a healthcare worker and support those receiving care.

Managing pain & long-term illness

This topic is split into two sub-topics. In ”Pain, other symptoms and pharmacology”, you will learn the basics of pharmacology, and how you can recognise pain, and help people, their family and whänau through it. In ”Chronic illness and dementia”, you will learn how to recognise these illnesses, the challenges that people face and how you can support them.

Care & support at the end of life

Care and support at the end of life is about last days of life, loss and grief, with a focus on how to care for everyone and support people in care and their family and whänau.

The Workshops:

Once you have completed each topic please register for the relevant workshop. Each Workshop will be held two times per year. Held at our “Community Cottage”, 70 Orbell Street, Timaru (east side of our Inpatient Unit).