The Importance of Hospice Education
One of the very best things Lake Taupo Hospice can do for patients and their families / whānau is provide well-educated, confident and knowledgeable staff – both internally with our own team and externally with other service providers. This approach also ensures we have a sustainable service for the future.
Every year Hospice teaches, supports, updates and advises General Practice doctors and nurses, home-support workers, aged residential care staff and hospital staff on all things relating to palliative care and end-of-life care. Over 600 participants take part in a range of educational activities.
We cover a series of topics including the ‘Fundamentals of Palliative Care’ which encompasses the essence of palliative care. This includes discussions around ethical issues, pain and symptom management, caring for people with life-limiting chronic conditions and dementia, communication skills, caring in the last days of life, loss and grief, caring for yourself and spiritual care.
We also teach medication management, syringe driver/pump skills and health care assistant skills, as well as practical things like massage, bed-bathing and safe transferring of people in bed and around the house.
Lake Taupo Hospice is proud to facilitate the National Palliative Care lecture series and Waikato Hospital Palliative Specialist sessions for health professionals. We are also involved in, and co-present, the Palliative Medicine Specialist specific education sessions for doctors and registered nurses across the community.
This year we were very privileged to educate, support and share our resources with Dr. Dave Nixon and Registered Nurse Kate Nixon in their mission to Buhtan, in Asia, with the aim of supporting the advancement of palliative care there. Both Kate and Dave found this an immensely rewarding trip and we look forward to hearing about their experience in the not too distant future.