| CODE | LAS3001 | |||||||||||||||
| TITLE | Essential Palliative Care | |||||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | H - Higher Level | |||||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences | |||||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This unit is run by Hospice Malta in conjunction with Princes Alice Hospice (UK). It is an 8 week unit for doctors and nurses who want to consolidate and develop their palliative care expertise and confidence. It is also designed for those who have less experience in palliative care and wish to establish a strong foundation of knowledge. The unit contains an element of critical appraisal of medical literature. The unit will commence with an introductory session held in Malta. This session can also be accessed on line. The unit will run for 8 weeks by correspondence. The unit and assessments will all be in English. By the end of the unit the participants will be required to provide a portfolio on a past or present case. In addition, a written (multiple choice) and oral examination will be held in Malta. Throughout the unit, students will be mentored by a facilitator who will guide each candidate through the portfolio. Students will spend the 8 weeks undergoing directed learning and preparing their portfolio. They will be guided through the physical, psychosocial and spiritual aspects of their case. The unit is divided into eight sections each covering a different area of practice: What is palliative care? Who is palliative care for? Symptom issues in palliative care Patients with emergency conditions Patients in the last 48 hours of life Breaking bad news to patients and families Bereavement and support Common ethical issues. Hospice Malta will also provides an online library with access to a number of journals related to End of Life Care for all. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the unit the student will be able to: - Identify of the principles of palliative care; - Discuss: Symptom control in palliative care, breaking bad news to patients and their families, bereavement and support, common ethical issues and treatment of patients with emergency conditions. 2. Skills: By the end of the unit the student will be able to: - Critically appraise scientific literature; - Correctly identify patients who will benefit from palliative care; - Improve the treatment of these patients; - Better communicate with patient’s families. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Watson M et al (2014) European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care. 206 pages. (Provided to each candidate) Supplementary Readings: - Clark D ‘Total pain’, disciplinary power and the body in the work of Cicely Saunders, 1958-1967. Social Science & Medicine 49: 6: 727-736. - Caraceni A et al (2012) Use of opioid analgesics in the treatment of cancer pain: evidence-based recommendations from the EAPC. Lancet Oncology 13: 2: e58-68. - Hui D et al (2011) the frequency and correlates of spiritual distress among patients with advanced cancer admitted to an acute palliative care unit. American Journal of Hospice and palliative Care 28: 4: 364-270. - Twycross J et al (2012) Stimulant laxatives and opioid-induced constipation. Journal of Pain & Symtom Management 43: 2: 306-313. - Buckman RA (2005) Breaking bad news: the S.P.I.K.E.S. strategy. Community Oncology 2: 2: 138-142. - Brennan CW, Mazanec P (201) Dyspnea management across the palliative care continuum. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing 13: 3: 130-139. - Harris D et al (2011) The use of crisis medication in the management of terminal haemorrhage due to incurable cancer: a qualitative study. Palliative Medicine 25: 7: 691-700. - Barnes J, Campbell C (2010) Palliative care in multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease. Brtish Journal of Hospice Medicine 71: 1: 21-25. - Eychmuller S, Costantini M, Demeisen F (2010) OPCARE 9 work package 1 - signs and symptoms of approaching death. European Journal of Palliative Care 19: 1: 20-23. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Please note that a pass in each assessment component is obligatory for an overall pass mark to be awarded. There is an in built quality assurance procedure to this unit. Two observers are invited to monitor the entire unit, review any portfolios they wish, observe the various oral examinations and give feedback and suggestions were need be. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Tutorial and Project | |||||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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