The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Palliative Care as an approach that improves the quality of life of individuals and their familities facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.

Palliative care should be a core skill of all health professionals including health care assistants working in both hospital, home and community settings.

This programme aims to enable the student to understand and appraise palliative care, key principles and issues and how such care can be delivered.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module the student should be able to:

• Discuss life limiting conditions in adults and children
• Critically appraise the philosophy and principles of palliative care
• Identify and critique personal strengths and weaknesses in communicating with those with a life limiting illness and with the dying person and his/her family, carers and significant others
• Discuss the physical, psychological, sociological and spritual effects of a palliative care diagnosisi on the patient and their family and strategies to optimise comfort & quality of life
• Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the specialist palliative care team and the multi-disciplinary team including applied health care roles, when caring for a person diagnosed with a life-limiting illness

Entry Requirements

Leaving Certificate or equivalent.  Students over 23 years of age may be exempted from this requirement if they can demonstrate that they are suitable candidates for the course of study.  Please see more information on Entry Requirements in the Student Information Section.

Delivery: 12 weeks, Tuesday 6-9pm

Cost: €350