European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care

Course details

This eight-week distance learning/home study programme is aimed at doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in clinical practice or who are new to specialist palliative care. This course has been developed for health professionals, based on the well established Princess Alice Certificate in Essential Palliative Care running in the UK for many years and which has been newly devised for European dissemination.

Attendance is required at the introductory evening session and the final assessment day only, which take place at Milford Care Centre, Limerick (MCC) or Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Dublin (OLH&CS).

This course has a newly edited handbook, includes clinical scenarios to aid in your learning and is divided into eight sections, each covering different principles and practice for delivering end-of-life care in any setting:

What is palliative care?

• Symptom issues in palliative care l
• Patients with emergency conditions l
• Patients in the last 48 hours of life l
• Breaking bad news to patients and families l
• Bereavement and support l
• Common ethical issues

Entry Requirements

In order to undertake the course, applicants must be qualified doctors, nurses or pharmacists and be working in a suitable practice setting e.g. in an acute hospital, nursing home, hospice or community and should have direct contact with patients requiring a palliative approach to care.

Support During Your Studies

Candidateswill be assigned a facilitatorwhowill be either a Consultant or Doctor specializing in Palliative Medicine or a CNM / CNS/RGN working in specialist palliative care. Candidates can contact their facilitator during the course by phone or email for support and advice as required within reason. A site www.e-life.ie has been set up to support candidates with their studies.

Assessment

Learning will be assessed at four levels:

• Portfolio (Case Study): Candidates complete a portfolio of a patient with palliative care needs. Support from the facilitator is given to assist the candidates with this. l Practical (Oral): There will be a short
• practical (oral) assessment by a Doctor and Nurse, looking at the knowledge and skills developed during the course. l
• Written: The one hour written assessment will comprise multiple choice questions of a true/false nature. l Key Competency: A short section on calculating common opioid conversions.

Course Accreditation

On successful completion of the course assessments, candidates will be awarded a certificate and detailed breakdown of marks. The course has been awarded 35 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from An Bord Altranais agus Cnaimhseachais na hEireann and 50 Continuing Professional Development Points from The Royal College of Physicians Ireland. This course is recognised by University of Limerick as having evidence of prior learning and has been awarded 15 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) at undergraduate level.