Valley's Palliative Care Education a Success

Annapolis Valley area residents are receiving improved palliative care services from better trained health-care workers thanks to Cancer Care Nova Scotia's Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program, says an evaluation released today, March 31.

One-hundred-twenty-four health professionals from Annapolis Valley Health completed an evaluation after taking the three-day program. All feedback was positive. The evaluation indicates that the program content was appropriate, meaningful and applicable to the daily work of health-care providers. Through pre- and post- testing, participants demonstrated both an increase in and retention of knowledge.

"Palliative and supportive care is an essential component of a high-quality cancer system," said Dr. Andrew Padmos, Commissioner, Cancer Care Nova Scotia. "The Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program has significantly increased the level of palliative care expertise available to Nova Scotia cancer patients and their families. It is providing health professionals with the knowledge they need to more skilfully manage the unique needs of their patients."

By covering such topics as pain management, spiritual and cultural considerations, and grief and bereavement, the Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program addresses the physical, emotional, social and spiritual impacts of dealing with a life-threatening illness. It is designed to provide front-line health care workers with the education they need to deliver high- quality palliative care.

"This initiative helps build confidence among health professionals throughout the province -- and patients ultimately benefit from their enhanced knowledge," said Health Minister Angus MacIsaac.

The Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program encourages collaboration and the development of community partnerships by incorporating an interprofessional, team approach to education. To build on the program's success and further enhance the quality of palliative care services in Nova Scotia, Cancer Care Nova Scotia will provide continued support to districts that offer the three-day program.

"With the development of the Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program, health-care providers have local access to current information and updates about palliative care practice and standards," said Fran Duggan, director of health programs for Annapolis Valley Health. "The program, comprehensive and interdisciplinary in content, promotes an enhanced team approach to learning. It facilitates confidence and competence on the part of the provider and improves overall support across the continuum of care for patients and their families throughout our district."

Camille Herbin, a staff nurse with the Victorian Order of Nurses, said the program is useful no matter which area of palliative care workers may be in, or how much experience they already have. "This program fills in all the gaps, and leaves you more open to the possibilities that are still out there," she said. "It is a course geared toward learning, reflecting and growing both personally and professionally."

The Palliative Care Front-Line Education Program was developed in response to a needs assessment and a Palliative Care Roundtable hosted by Cancer Care Nova Scotia. It was modelled after the Rural Palliative Home Care Project, a federal health transition project conducted in 1999 and 2000.

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.