Critical Enquiry in Adult Palliative Care

This subject is not offered in 2013.

In addition to face-to-face teaching time of 20 hours, students should expect to undertake a minimum of 120 hours research, reading, writing and general study to complete this subject successfully.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Students must complete 4 of the following 5 days in order to complete the subject.

• Day 1 – Evidence Based Palliative Care (compulsory for all students).
• Day 2 - Symptom Management and technical aspects of palliative care (compulsory for doctors and nurses)
• Day 3 – Palliative care in non-cancer context
• Day 4 - Psychosocial, spiritual and ethico-legal aspects of palliative care
• Day 5 - Family centred palliative care

Students who successfully complete this subject will have:

• Critically appraise literature relevant to course content
• Discuss the fundamentals of research in palliative care and evaluation techniques implemented
• Explore the principles of evidence based practice
• Identify symptoms often experienced by patients during the palliative phase of an illness
• Explore current evidence based strategies for complex symptom management
• Discuss models of grief and bereavement care , and be able to describe risk factors for prolonged grief
• Identify relevant legislation that guides palliative care practice in Australia
• Explore the concept of spiritual care in the context of palliative care provision
• Identify diseases other than cancer likely to benefit from a palliative approach
• Recognise challenges of providing palliative care for patients with non malignant diseases
• Discuss the impact of the caring role for a family caregiver
• Be aware of interventions to benefit families providing care to palliative care patients
• Identify opportunities for own learning needs

• 30% 1 x 2000 word assignment
• 50% clinical portfolio (set of self directed clinically focused learning activities assessed by a clinical mentor) Note: for doctors and nurses there will be a focus on symptom management and technical skills.
• 20% critical review of the literature relevant to course content

Therapeutic Guidelines: Palliative Care. Version 2. (2005).

As part of their course materials students will be provided with articles and references that support the subject content.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.