Education

Palliative care is an increasingly relevant topic in today's world and particularly South Africa. Increasingly, nurses, social workers and doctors are being trained in the field not only to facilitate easeful death, but also to help patients with life threatening illnesses to holistically experience the best quality of life possible with whatever life they have remaining. Even patients with AIDS who are on anti-retroviral drugs need good palliative care, as they still experience physical problems like pain, and have major psycho-social and emotional issues that can be addressed.

These are some of the courses we offer:

The Short course in Palliative Nursing Care (SCPN) is a day-release certificate course (every Thursday) over 8 months, from February. The course incorporates 4 modules, viz. Palliative care principles and ethics, Pain and Symptom management, Communication Skills and Psycho-social, spiritual and cultural aspects. It is very relevant for professional and staff nurses involved with counselling and support of HIV/AIDS and cancer patients at clinic level as well as hospital, hospice and home care. The fee is R6480 but one can apply for a grant from HPCA to the tune of R5480.

Introductory Course in Palliative Care. This is a 5-day course for nurses at different levels, or for the interdisciplinary team, viz. professional nurses, doctors, social workers, physiotherapists etc. It covers the same topics as the SCPN, but in a nutshell, and is introductory. It may however, also be feasible, to run courses at your specific venue, if there are enough people interested: the dates and times are negotiable. The fee would also be negotiable.

We also run an accredited 3-month level 1 Home based care course to community/ home based care workers, which includes a palliative care module. This is held at our centre at Lentegeur ward and practical hours are included at various centres, which we arrange. The fee is R1500 per student.

Carers who are trained already in Home Based Care but where palliative care was not incorporated can also do an Introductory course in PC for ancillary workers. This could also be applied to Enrolled Nursing Auxiliary nurses.

Basic Hospice Course for Volunteers: this is a 12-session course for people who are interested in giving their time and skills in support of the work we do. Some people opt to do it merely for their own self-growth. The next course commences 12 July. Please contact Dawn (021 797-5335) for more details.

We also offer workshops:

• Spiritual accompaniment: The next workshop is entitled “Dreams, stories and poems at the time of life’s final surrender” 13 August, 9.00-13.00, cost is R280, 00
• How to break bad news
• Bereavement companionship for lay people/ nurses/ social workers etc.

Please contact us for more details.

We can also arrange short workshops (day or half-day) on different related topics of your choice, viz. pain management, death and dying, practical sessions on the use of the syringe driver in palliative care and various other spiritual care topics.

Please contact Margot if you are interested in any of the courses or workshops or have any queries.

Margot van der Wielen, Education and Training Manager, Centre for Palliative Learning, Tel. 021 797-5335 margotv@stlukes.co.za