Practical Aspects of Palliative Care (PAPC)
A foundational program in palliative care for new and experienced clinicians
HMS course (#732740-2401)
For physicians, nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals who work with patients and families with serious illness or near the end of life.
Led by faculty from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston College School of Social Work, Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Care Dimensions, MGB Home-Based Palliative Care, and Veteran Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Practical Aspects of Palliative Care (PAPC) provides the information and skills necessary to deliver high-quality palliative care to patients with serious illnesses in a wide range of practice settings. Sessions will focus on a wide range of topics, including pain and symptom management, communication skills, and collaborative teamwork across disciplines and roles.
Course Dates
October 16th & 17th, 2023
Course Location
This course is designed as an in-person experience and will take place at Peter K. Markell Center at Assembly Row (399 Revolution Drive, Somerville, MA 02145). In-person participants will have a full range of choices for breakout sessions. There will be a virtual option, as well; online participants will be assigned to specific breakout sessions.
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Course Directors
Course Planners
Tuition
| Physicians | Nurses/Psychologists/ Allied Health Professionals |
Social Workers, Chaplains | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition Rate | $1015 (USD) | $925 (USD) | $695 (USD) |
Credits
Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits*
A maximum of 12.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
*Please note that CEUs for social work are pending and will be posted, as soon as possible.
Risk Management credits (in Massachusetts)
Risk Management: General: 12.75
Risk Management: End-of-life Care Studies: 12.75
Risk Management: Opioid Education and Training: 2.5
Risk Management: Medical Marijuana: 1.25
Social Work Continuing Education credits
This program has been approved for 12.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR 31.00. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D92077.
Continuing Nursing Education (CNEs) credits
A maximum of 12.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ of which, 5.0 is eligible for pharmacology credit
Course description
This two-day in-person course (with a virtual option) is designed to offer physicians, nurses, social workers and other clinicians the information and skills needed to provide high quality palliative care to patients with serious illnesses in a variety of practice settings. It addresses the assessment and management of current challenges in palliative care, including the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual/existential sources of suffering experienced by patients and their families. Through plenary sessions and small breakout groups, participants will develop a toolbox of palliative care competencies and will learn from colleagues facing similar practice challenges.
Sessions will focus on:
- Pain and symptom management
- Serious illness communication skills
- Interdisciplinary team work and collaboration across disciplines
- Prognostication
- Bereavement
- Special needs of patients at various stages of the life cycle
- Cultural, religious and spiritual beliefs and practices towards the end of life
- Ethical, legal, and policy-level challenges in serious illness
- Recent research in palliative care
Learning formats
Interactive learning formats include: Q&A, panel presentations, breakout sessions, and case based discussions .
The course is designed to change both learner competence and performance in practice for primary and specialty palliative care practitioners.
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Assess and manage physical, psychological, social, and spiritual/existential sources of suffering for patients and their families dealing with serious illnesses or towards the end of life
- Develop practical strategies for discussing patient fears, hopes, goals, and wishes for care in the face of serious illness and at the end of life, including balancing hope and honesty in discussing treatment options and dealing with the ethical, psychosocial and spiritual issues that arise
- Improve the access to quality palliative care for all people with serious illness regardless of setting, diagnosis, prognosis or age
- Describe key issues and principles of pain management with opioids, including equianalgesic dosing, common side effects, addiction, tolerance, and dependence
Who should attend?
Physicians, nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals who work with patients and families with serious illness or near the end of life.