Education Newsletter

Important Dates

July 1st

• Hot Tips
• Beyond the Stethoscope

July 5th

• National Injury Prevention Day

July 7th

• World Chocolate Day

July 9th

• Cow Appreciation Day

July 12th

• Malala Day

July 15th

• National Give Something Day

July 17th

• Glioblastoma Awareness Day

July 18th

• International Nelson Mandela Day

July 21st

• Uterine Fibroid Awareness Day

July 24th

• International Self-Care Day

July 27th

• National Disability Independence Day

July 28th

• World Hepatitis Day

July 30th

• International Friendship Day

2023 - 2024 Annual Report Now Available!

This past year has taught us valuable lessons in innovation, growth, resilience, and adaptation. As we look to the future, we are committed to fostering exceptional palliative and end-of-life care through partnerships, innovative programs, and knowledge exchange. Our dedicated staff and volunteers have shown tremendous dedication, and we are proud of their commitment to excellence. The impact we had in the past year is something to truly be proud of. We will continue to remain focused on innovation and growth to achieve even greater heights with the support of our team, care partners, and community. We invite you to read our 2023-2024 Annual Report to learn more about our achievements and future plans.

To read please visit: https://bit.ly/AnnRep24 or click on the button below.

Air Date: 01-JULY-24

Topic of Discussion:

Mental Health and Hospice Palliative Care

Join our host, Lori Gill, NSMHPCN Education Specialist and her guests Chantal Byrnes Leadbeater, Clinical Educator for the Horizon Program for Geriatric Psychiatry, and Laura Naumann, Clinical Orientation and Preceptor Leader, both of Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, as they discuss Mental Health and Hospice Palliative Care.

Palliative care is not just about end-of-life care; it is about improving the quality of life for patients facing serious illnesses at any stage of their illness trajectory. Here are some key points to highlight:

• Early Integration of Palliative Care: Research supports the idea that integrating palliative care early in the course of a serious illness can lead to better outcomes. This approach focuses on providing relief from symptoms, pain, and stress of the illness, alongside curative treatments. It helps patients and their families better cope with the emotional and physical challenges they face.
• Improvements in Quality of Life: Early palliative care can lead to improvements in mood, coping strategies, and overall quality of life for patients. Palliative care teams are skilled in addressing a wide range of needs, including pain management, emotional support, spiritual care, and assistance with decision-making.
• Longer Survival: Surprisingly, studies have shown that patients who receive early palliative care interventions may live longer than those who do not. This could be due to various factors, such as better management of symptoms, reduced stress, and improved adherence to treatment plans.
• Adaptability Over Time: Palliative care is flexible and can adapt to the changing needs of patients as their illness progresses. It addresses not only physical symptoms but also psychological, social, and spiritual needs. As patients' conditions change, so too can the focus of palliative care interventions.
• Support for Caregivers: Palliative care does not just benefit patients; it also provides much-needed support for their caregivers, who are often family members or close friends. Caregivers may experience significant stress and burden while caring for a loved one with a serious illness. Palliative care teams can offer assistance, education, and emotional support to caregivers, helping them better cope with their roles.

By emphasizing the importance of early integration of palliative care and highlighting its benefits throughout the course of a serious illness, healthcare providers can better meet the holistic needs of patients and their families.

Dyspnea

September 26th, 2024

Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care

Upcoming Offerings:

Building on the Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care Program, The Advanced Palliative Practice Skills (APPS) program is an interactive, educational opportunity for Personal Support Workers (PSWs), Health Care Aides and Hospice Volunteers who are graduates of the Core Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care Program.



Course Components:

• Three, 2-hour virtual in-class Case Based Learning sessions
• Self-directed online learning modules x 4
• Two peer-to-peer exchanges
• Ongoing self reflection with practical application activities

All course components are mandatory, including attendance at all virtual in class learning sessions.

Pre-requisite: 

Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care.

Duration: Approximately 9 weeks

Upcoming Offerings:

Comprehensive Advanced Palliative Care Education (CAPCE) Program

The CAPCE program is uniquely designed for nurses (RPN, RN, NP) to develop their leadership and expertise skills in hospice palliative care across all healthcare sectors.



Pre-requisites:

To be eligible to participate in the CAPCE program, the following pre-requisites are required

• Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care Program
• A minimum of 1-year experience caring for people with a progressive, life-limiting illness
• Ability and interest to function as a Resource Nurse, providing primary level support and advanced level knowledge and skills for care team members in his or her organization
• Ability and interest to coach others, facilitate change and be a role model
• Sensitivity to the impact of attitudes, behaviours, life experiences, values, thoughts and feelings on the well-being and quality of life from the perspective of all partners in care

Duration: Approximately 5 months