Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care
Learn about the principles of palliative care, multidisciplinary working and management of key symptoms, as well as ways to assess and manage physical and psychological symptoms experienced by individuals with life-limiting illnesses.
Key facts
Overview
Palliative care offers care and support to individuals, and those close to them, with a wide range of life limiting conditions, including: cancers; end-stage cardiac, respiratory and renal disease; multiple sclerosis and dementia. Due to this, palliative care should be multi-disciplinary and provided at a generalist and specialist level across all areas of health and social care.
This module will further your education into this area to achieve the aim of supporting the palliative care needs of everyone. The focus will be on the management of the wide range of physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs, core to effective palliative care will be explored.
The module considers the principles of palliative care, multidisciplinary working, systematic assessment and management of key symptoms.
This module explores ways to assess and manage physical, psychological, social and spiritual symptoms experienced by individuals with life-limiting illnesses.
Flexible learning
This short course forms part of the BSc Professional Practice. You can study other stand-alone continuing professional development (CPD) short courses from this degree:
- Gateway to Further Study
- Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia
- Improving quality through work-based learning
- Mental Health, Everyone’s Business
- Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals
- Understanding and Assessing Pain
If you’re interested in studying more than one module from this course, please email our Admissions team at postgraduate.admissions@stir.ac.uk to discuss your course of study.
Entrance requirements
The module is suitable for nurses, allied healthcare professionals and those with an interest in the provision of quality palliative care.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 56 overall with a minimum of 51 in each sub-skill.
- IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
Funding
Find out more about fees and funding.
Objectives
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the key concepts associated with multi-professional assessment of symptoms in palliative care;
- Critically explore and evaluate assessment tools applied to symptom management in palliative care;
- Analyse the Biopsychosocial model of care as a framework for the symptom management in patients with palliative care needs;
- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the psychological, pharmacological and supportive care measures incorporated in the assessment and management of specific symptoms in the individual with palliative care needs.
Structure and content
You will explore:
- The principles of palliative care applied in current practice
- The process of systematic assessment
- What is meant by the term ‘quality of life’
- The assessment and management of the most prevalent palliative care symptoms
- The final stages of life: recognising when death is approaching, assessing and alleviating the symptoms
Delivery and assessment
This online course uses a blended approach to teaching and learning including:
- Fully online accessible live/recorded lectures
- Open office hours
- Themed, weekly online, interactive based learning through Canvas, our virtual learning environment
- Independent study
Assessment of the module is via a 2,500 word critical essay.
Module coordinator
Dr Debbie Waddell
Employability
The learning from this module will enhance your evidence based knowledge and understanding to inform your practice and can be used as part of your academic and professional development.
What next?
Contact us
If you have any questions about entry requirements for our continuing professional development and short courses, contact our Admissions team.
For all other questions, please use our enquiry form.