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Relevant Course SubjectsWhen beginning to work in palliative care, new graduates can draw upon lecture notes and teaching material from numerous subject areas for managing a palliative case (See List 1).List 1: Speech Pathology Undergraduate course subjects relevant to palliative care (from the La Trobe University Undergraduate curriculum, 2005a)
Professional Development OpportunitiesOnce speech pathologists enter the field of palliative care, there may be few, if any, formal opportunities for specific professional development offered by the service provider*, especially in relation to specific speech pathology practices*. This can prove a challenge for speech pathologists in the area of palliative care*. Thus, it is recommended that speech pathologists new to the area of palliative care attend professional development opportunities which may be offered across other disciplines* in order to enhance their knowledge about holistic palliative care approaches.Specific efforts to address health professionals' lack of knowledge about palliative care have included the development of the World Health Organisation's 2003-2004 training module for symptom management and end-of-life care. This covers symptom management for acute and chronic illness; education of the patient, family and other carers; and end-of-life care (WHO, 2005). See www.who.int/3by5/capacity/palliative/en for access to the WHO's symptom management guidelines and training manual (2005). There have also been recent palliative care seminars organised by the Department of Human Services (e.g. DHS, 2005a). One of the most recent programs implemented to help health professionals improve their competency in palliative care is called the Program of Experience in the Palliative care Approach (PEPA) initiative (DHS, 2005b). This program gives a range of health professionals, including speech pathologists, the chance to obtain up to ten days clinical placement in a specialist inpatient and/or community based palliative care service. Program details and application forms can be found at the website: www.health.vic.gov.au/palliativecare/pepa.htm (DHS, 2005b). Additional means for speech pathologists to enhance their professional knowledge and skills relevant to palliative care include special interest groups (SIGs) developed within Speech Pathology Australia (SPA, 2005). These have been formed in each state/territory, with the purpose of encouraging speech pathologists to continue their professional development throughout their careers. Although there is no SIG specifically for speech pathology in palliative care, relevant SIG areas including dysphagia, head and neck, and adult rehabilitation, can be drawn upon in palliative pare practice. See the SPA website for links to relevant SIGs operating around Australia: www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Professional development opportunities specific to palliative care include workshops or education sessions run by various associations and professional bodies, relating to progressive or terminal conditions, ethical issues (see ETHICS section of website), cultural considerations, and/or latest evidence-base for care. The following associations are known to have held information sessions relevant to speech pathologists in palliative care in Victoria the recent past*:
ReferencesContro, N., Larson, J., Scofield, S., Sourkes, B., & Cohen, H. (2004). Hospital staff and family perspectives regarding quality of pediatric palliative care. Pediatrics, 114(5), 1248-1252. Department of Human Services (DHS) (2005a, March). Continuing Care Newsletter. Retrieved April 29, 2005, from http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/ahs/continuingcare/news0305.pdf Department of Human Services (DHS) (2005b). Victoria's Palliative Care Program. Retrieved September 18, 2005, from http://www.health.vic.gov.au/palliativecare/pepa.htm Kristjanson, L., Toye, C., & Dawson, S. (2003). New dimensions in palliative care: a palliative approach to neurodegenerative diseases and final illness in older people. Medical Journal of Australia, 179, S41-S43. La Trobe University (2005a). Structure of Bachelor of Speech Pathology Course. Retrieved September 18, 2005, from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/hcs/hcs/undergraduate/Bachelor.htm#structure La Trobe University (2005b). Postgraduate handbook 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2005, from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/pg/healthsci/hmsp.htm#P5040_147236 Motor Neurone Disease Association of Victoria (2005). A Morning with MND and Palliative Care. Canterbury, Vic: Motor Neurone Disease Association of Victoria. Retrieved Oct 17, 2005, from http://www.disabilitynews.infoxchange.net.au/news/items/2005/09/31086-upload-00001.pdf Speech Pathology Australia (SPA). (2005). Speech Pathology Australia Home. Retrieved Sep 21, 2005, from http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). Palliative care: Symptom management and end-of-life care. Retrieved Oct 17, 2005, from http://www.who.int/3by5/capacity/palliative/en/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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