Program to Enhance Palliative Care in Nova Scotia
CANCER CARE N.S.--Program to Enhance Palliative Care in Nova Scotia
This year more than 800 health professionals in Nova Scotia will improve and enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding of issues surrounding palliative care. They will do this by participating in the Palliative Care Front-line Education Program.
The program, which began in April, is the result of a partnership between Cancer Care Nova Scotia and the province's district health authorities.
"Nova Scotia is fortunate to have a dedicated group of health professionals who provide exceptional end-of-life care to patients and families," said Judy Simpson, palliative and supportive care co-ordinator with Cancer Care Nova Scotia. "While all health professionals may benefit from this program, it will be particularly helpful for those who care for cancer patients because as many as 85 per cent of current palliative care patients are people who are living with cancer."
Six of nine health districts (South Shore Health, South West Health, Annapolis Valley Health, Guysborough, Antigonish Strait Health Authority, Cape Breton District Health Authority and Capital Health) will offer the training this year. The remaining districts (Colchester East Hants, Cumberland and Pictou County Health) participated in similar training during the Rural Palliative Home Care Project in 1999.
Local community-based educators are delivering the three-day, interactive education program. The program is designed to help communities keep this education going on their own and to ensure that people have the best training possible for palliative care.
District education advisory teams helped in planning the program, which included review and endorsement of a needs assessment, evaluation tools for pre-testing, post-testing and retention testing, in addition to the delivery of the three-day course with 11 modules. Among the topics being addressed are: principles of palliative care; pain and symptom management; communication; spiritual care; grief and bereavement; self care and closure.
The Palliative Care Front-line Education Program will ensure consistency in palliative-care education being offered across the province. Based on current needs assessments, it was adapted from the Rural Palliative Home Care Project, a Health Canada Federal Health Transition Fund Project, which took place in Nova Scotia and in two counties on Prince Edward Island in 1999.
Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Department of Health created to reduce the burden of cancer on individuals, families, and the health-care system through prevention, screening, education and research.