Melbourne Consulting and Custom Programs

Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care

Course Abbreviation: SpecCertPalCare

Course Code: GC - PALLC

 

Course Introduction

The Centre for Palliative Care (CPC) has a state-wide role in palliative care education, with a focus on ensuring education is multidisciplinary and delivered by experts in their field who may be drawn from multiple institutions around Victoria as appropriate. The goals for CPC in regard to palliative care education are to:

As part of its strategy to offer education in palliative care, CPC recognised the need to develop a university accredited postgraduate training program in palliative care, which would be the industry standard for working in specialist palliative care and open to all disciplines as well as interstate participants. CPC partnered with Melbourne Consulting and Custom Programs at University of Melbourne to develop and deliver ‘The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care’.

Over the three years since the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care was introduced, a total of 63 students have successfully completed the award course. Students have included health professionals from the following disciplines; nursing, medicine, social work, family support worker, occupational therapy, pastoral care, speech therapy, music therapy, physiotherapy and hospital chaplaincy.

The ‘Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care’ is a formal award of the University of Melbourne comprising 25 points of training at Masters level, delivered as two standard 12.5 point subjects requiring 4-5 days of face to face teaching each. ‘Fundamentals of Palliative Care’ is the core subject for the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care and then students can choose either ‘Adult Palliative Care’ or ‘Paediatric Palliative Care’ to complete the award course. The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care is a stand-alone award in its own right that can be used for credit into more substantial postgraduate courses (such as Masters Courses). In addition, some components of the award course subjects are also offered as short course options.

 

Who should attend? 

The training is targeted at health professionals (all disciplines) who are required to provide palliative care in their work setting.  A delivery format of two four-day subjects offered intensively throughout the year has been established to accommodate the needs of regional and interstate health professionals.

 

Course Objectives

The course aims to be the industry standard for working in specialist palliative care and will be delivered by experts in their fields, drawn from multiple institutions around Victoria, as appropriate. The course will explore the core concepts related to palliative care, including symptom management, communication skills, and evidence based practice, non malignant palliative illnesses, psychosocial issues and the role of the family caregiver.

 

Specialist Certificate Entry Requirements

An undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in medicine, nursing, an allied health profession, science or social science which is recognised by the University as evidence of adequate preparation for the course plus documented evidence of at least one year's full-time relevant professional work experience in a medical, scientific or allied health environment.  Potential students will be responsible for providing palliative care within their current workplace. 

 

Short Course Options

In 2012 selected components of the accredited course will be offered as individual non-accredited short courses.  This will be particularly inviting to generalist health care professionals and/or those working in specialist palliative care who want to update their skills.

 

2012 Fees

Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care - $4,480 (GST exempt).

Short Courses - $300 per day + GST

Fees include course materials & catered lunch. It is a full day course.

 

Financial Support

FEE-HELP information is available via www.goingtouni.gov.au

 

Scholarships

The Department of Health are offering scholarships of up to $3000 for people undertaking approved postgraduate palliative care courses. For further information please see Palliative Care Victoria website: www.pallcarevic.asn.au or phone 03 9662 9644. 

  

Course Structure and Delivery Dates

An orientation to the overall program will be offered to enrolled students prior to the commencement of the first session.

To satisfy the requirements of the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care, students must successfully complete within a 12 month period:

Each subject involves four days of face-to-face contact spread throughout the year.

 

CORE SUBJECT 

NURS90046 Fundamentals of Palliative Care (12.5 point subject)

Topics:

 

ELECTIVE SUBJECTS

NURS90047 Adult Palliative Care (12.5 point subject)

To successfully complete the Critical Enquiry in Adult Palliative Care subject, students must complete the core online topic, plus four of the five elective topics.

Core Topic:

  • Evidence Based Palliative Care - Online
    This topic is only offered to the Specialist Certificate students.  It is not offered as a short course.
    This is a core topic for all students in order to graduate with the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care.

Elective Topics:

  • Pain Assessment and Management in Palliative Care
    18 July 2012
    This is a core topic for registered doctors and nurses
  • Symptom Management in Palliative Care
    19 July 2012
    This is a core topic for registered doctors and nurses
  • Palliative Care in Non-Cancer Context
    20 July 2012
  • Psychosocial Aspects of Palliative Care
    6 September 2012
  • Family Centred Palliative Care and Cultural Issues
    7 September 2012

 

NURS90065 Paediatric Palliative Care (12.5 point subject) 

To successfully complete the Paediatric Palliative Care subject:

Specialist Certificate students must complete all five topics.

Topics:

  

There is a limited number of places available, so early registration is recommended.

Note: For those health professionals who do not wish to enrol in the Specialist Certificate, the single day and two day short course may be available, but places will be limited and preference will be given to the Specialist Certificate students.

 

Assessment

Each subject is formally assessed to meet the requirements of University accreditation.  Assessment is designed to be practical and clinically relevant for healthcare professionals.

 

Academic Team

Professor Peter Hudson, Director, Centre for Palliative Care AND Professor of Palliative Care Queens University Belfast, United Kingdom

Associate Professor Mark Boughey, Centre for Palliative Care and Director, Palliative Medicine St Vincent's (Melbourne)

Ms Karen Quinn, Co-Ordinator Education & Project Officer for Victorian Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Collaborative, Centre for Palliative Care

Dr Jennifer Phililp, Co-Deputy Director, Centre for Palliative Care and Deputy Director, Palliative Medicine St Vincent's (Melbourne)

Mr Chris Hall, Director, Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement

Dr Jenny Hynson, Consultant Paediatrician, Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program The Royal Children's Hospital

Melissa Heywood, Liaison Nurse/Manager, Victorian Paediatric Palliative Care Program The Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne)

Dr Eleanor Flynn, Palliative Care Consultant, St Vincent's (Melbourne) and Melbourne Citymission

Dr Di Clifton, Psychiatrist, Psycho-Oncologist, St Vincent's Melbourne

Associate Professor Rosalie Hudson, Consultant in Aged Care Education

Dr Frank Ferris, International Advisor Director International Programs Institute for Palliative Medicine, San Diego Hospice, CA USA

Where relevant, experts from other institutions and services are also involved in the delivery of the programs.

 

Course Brochure

Short Courses in Palliative Care

Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care  

 

Libraries

Accredited students will be issued a University of Melbourne student card, which will give them full borrowing rights for all branches of the University of Melbourne libraries at Parkville.

The University of Melbourne holds one of the most significant academic libraries and archive collections in the southern hemisphere.  It has one of the largest collections, providing three million volumes on paper and University Archives, including collections of international significance on many subjects.

 

Online Databases

Accredited students will also be issued a University of Melbourne email username and password.  This email username and password will allow you to access an extensive online resource library via the internet.  This electronic database provides reference material for assignments and is a valuable tool to assist in your study.

Please find following web address for the University of Melbourne's online resource library: http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au/

 

Online Learning System

Once a student has enrolled they will be issued with a user name and password to access the Online Learning system, also known as ePortal.

We suggest each student visits the site, completes the steps to login and familiarises themselves with the system.  The system is a main point of communication between the coordinator, student services and other students enrolled.  If there is required pre-reading, it will also be made available to view and print from ePortal.  In addition, students can upload assignments directly to ePortal for assessment.

Information uploaded to ePortal such as assignments, and communication between the coordinator is strictly confidential and private.  Other users do not have the ability to view this information without the expressed permission of the author and Melbourne Consulting & Custom Programs, the University of Melbourne.

 

Proposed New Subjects

We are currently in the planning phase for two new subjects, which will be ready for delivery in 2012.

The increased subject range will provide students with options for further study including working toward a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters programs.

 

Academic Prize

The Order of Malta Award is an annual prize ($1000) which is awarded to the student who achieves the overall highest academic grade for the year for the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Year.

The Order of Malta in Australia is part of a 900 year old organisation that has been a passionate advocate of palliative care provision and advocates for improving the quality of care provided to patients and families confronted by life threatening illness.

The recipients of the award to 2010 are:

 

Venue

Graduate House, University of Melbourne

220 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053

 

Accommodation

There is a number of accommodation options near the University of Melbourne.  Please find following a few options to make further enquiries. 

 

 Application Closing Date / Registration

Closing date for the Specialist Certificate applications is Friday, 21 January 2012.

 

Application Process

Specialist Certificate applications are managed by the Student Services Team. Contact the Student Services Team for the Application Form and further instructions.

Short Course applications are managed by the Project Manager.

 

For further information contact:

Sandie Luu
Project Manager

Melbourne Consulting and Custom Programs
The University of Melbourne
Level 3, 442 Auburn Road
Hawthorn, Vic 3122 Australia

T: +61 3 9810 3148
F: +61 3 9810 3149
E: palliativecare@mccp.unimelb.edu.au 

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