A Pallia�ve Care Curriculum Toolkit: A prac�cal guide to integra�ng pallia�ve care into Health Professional Educa�on

Snell K1, Murray S2, Grant L3, Barnard A4, Downing J5, Leng M5

1Pallia�ve Care Unit, UTH, Zambia, 2Primary Pallia�ve Care Research Group, University of Edinburgh, 3Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh, 4University of Cape Town, South Africa, 5Pallia�ve Care Unit, Makerere University, Uganda

Background/Ra�onale

Purpose

The integra�on of pallia�ve care (PC) in educa�on programmes is a crucial component of health systemstrengthening and is emphasised in the WHA PC resolu�on (2014)1. In response to requests from academiccolleagues and as part of a wider health systems strengthening approach, a Toolkit was developed.

The Toolkit is intended to guide those involved in curriculum planning and delivery. It does not focus oneduca�onal theory. It is aimed at integra�ng pallia�ve care into exis�ng educa�onal frameworks.

Methods

An expert group from 4 academic se�ngs and 3 global health and PC organisa�ons convened to develop the Toolkit. The process involved:

• Sharing of ideas• Review of exis�ng educa�onal competency frameworks and pallia�ve

care curricula• Agreeing topic domains based on the above

Topic domains

1 •Basics of pallia�ve care

2 •Pain and symptom management

3 •Psychosocial and spiritual

4 •Ethical and legal

5 •Communica�on skills

6 •Teamwork and professionalism

Results

The Pallia�ve Care Curriculum Toolkit

Sec�on 1 Overview and how to use the Toolkit

Sec�on 2

Strategies to integrate PC into exis�ng courses

Curriculum review (a prac�cal ‘how to’ guide based on finding ‘hidden’ exis�ng PC topics already si�ng within the curriculum. Adapted from the Pallia�ve Educa�on Assessment Tool2)

Teaching, learning and assessment (ideas linked back to the 6 PC domains)

Resources/links

ConclusionA pallia�ve care toolkit has been developed as a prac�cal guide to integra�ng pallia�ve care into exis�ng healthprofessional educa�on. The PC Toolkit and links to helpful resources are available online: www.cairdeas.org.ukand www.ed.ac.uk/global-health (both free to access)

References1. WHA (2014) Strengthening of pallia�ve care as a component of integrated treatment within the con�nuum of care. 134th Session of the World Health

Assembly. EB134.R7 May2. Meekin SA, Klein JE, Fleischman AR, Fins JJ. Development of a pallia�ve educa�on assessment tool for medical student educa�on. Academic Medicine,

Vol. 75, No 10, October 2000