Design of a Postgraduate Course in Palliative Care

Abstract

Although palliative care is multidisciplinary in nature, nurses play an essential role in terminal care. Because new nurses frequently lack the specific skills for palliative nursing care as well as competence in interdisciplinary practice, there is a need for continuing education in palliative care. This article describes a postgraduate course in palliative care for nurses. A postgraduate course was developed based on the needs of palliative patients and the subjective and objective needs of nurses. Four roles assumed by nurses in palliative care were identified: bureaucratic, biomedical, social-therapeutic, and informal. The actual results of the course were influenced by the contextual aspects, which were determined by the nursing environment. Assignments were formulated according to the needs of the nursing unit, and a number of peer review meetings were organized. Successful implementation of a postgraduate course in palliative care increases nurses' expertise and offers an opportunity for nurses to exchange experiences and search for solutions to problems together.