Psychosocial Aspects of Palliative Care

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

A combination of face to face and online delivery, with a strong clinical focus. A delivery format of four four-day subjects offered intensively in two day blocks throughout the year has been established to enable accessibility for regional and interstate health professionals.

170 hours per 12.5 credit point subject

To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted in either the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care (GC-PALLC) or Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care (GC-PALCARE). This subject is not available for students admitted in any other courses.

A minimum of two years postgraduate experience in a health-related field.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Student Equity and Disability Support Team: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will explore the psychological, psychiatric, social, cultural, spiritual and existential experiences of patients and families dealing with life-threatening illness, drawing on the most recent scientific literature and illustrating the management of these issues through case material and demonstration. Topics to be covered include:

• Day 1 - Identification and Assessment of Psychological and Psychiatric Disorder
• Day 2 - Management of Psychiatric and Psychological Disorder
• Day 3 - Special Needs and High-Risk populations
• Day 4 - Supporting health care professionals to care for palliative care patients and families who are experiencing psychosocial distress

At the completion of this subjects students should:

• Have an enhanced awareness and understanding of psychosocial issues as they relate to palliative care
• Be able to identify the evidence that underpins and informs contemporary psychosocial practice
• Be enabled to screen, recognise and assess psychosocial distress in patients and their families
• Have an enhanced ability to distinguish between different forms of psychological and psychiatric disorder
• Have the skills to implement a range of strategies and interventions to respond appropriately to psychological and psychiatric disorder in a palliative care population
• Have an increased clinical competency in implementing a multidisciplinary approach to the holistic care of patients and their families who experience psychological and psychiatric disorders
• Have practical self-care strategies to implement for their own practice when providing care to palliative care patients and their families

• A portfolio of four separate items, each of 600 words (total 2,400 words) (40%)
• A 2,500-word essay (60%)
  
  

Selected readings will be made available to students via SOLE

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.