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People receive palliative care from health care providers and volunteers who possess the appropriate knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality palliative care.
People with a progressive, life-limiting illness, families, and caregivers have complex needs; for this reason, those who provide care should have comprehensive palliative care education. Education that focuses on improving communication skills, knowledge, and attitudes about palliative care has a positive effect on a person’s experience of palliative care. Competency-based education materials and programs should be tailored to the health care provider’s role and responsibilities.
You should have access to care providers who are knowledgeable about palliative care and who will work together to meet your needs and goals of care.
You should receive education to effectively provide quality care for people with a progressive, life-limiting illness in accordance with your role.
Ensure that systems, processes, and resources are in place for health care providers and volunteers to receive the education necessary to provide high-quality palliative care.
Percentage of health care providers and volunteers who provide palliative care who have evidence of receiving palliative care education appropriate to their role
Denominator: total number of health care providers and volunteers who provide palliative care
Numerator: number of providers in the denominator who have evidence of receiving palliative care education appropriate to their role
Data source: local data collection
Potential stratification: health care providers, volunteers
Percentage of health care providers and volunteers who provide palliative care who state that they have the knowledge and skills to provide palliative care
Denominator: total number providing palliative care:
Health care providers
Volunteers
Numerator: number of people in the denominator groups who state that they have the knowledge and skills to provide palliative care
Note: consider measuring the indicator separately for health care providers and for volunteers
Education should include communication skills, assessment and care planning, advance care planning, and symptom management. It may also include the following:
Principles and models of palliative care
Care of the family and caregiver
Assessment and management of pain and other symptoms (see Quality Statement 6)
Assessment and management of psychosocial aspects of care, including spiritual and existential issues (see Quality Statement 7)
Effective and compassionate communication
Mediation and conflict management
Advocacy and therapeutic relationship-building
Ethical issues
Interdisciplinary practice and competencies (see Quality Statement 12)
Knowledge of relevant legislation
Advance care planning, goals of care, and informed consent as described in the Ontario Health Care Consent Act (see Quality Statements 3 and 4)
Self-care, including coping strategies, compassion fatigue, and self-exploration of death and dying
Cultural competency and cultural safety, including care for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples
Palliative care issues in vulnerable populations (people with mental health issues, people who are homeless/vulnerably housed, and people who are incarcerated)
Social and cultural contexts of death and dying
Dying trajectories and signs of impending death
Grief, bereavement, and mourning
Roles of grief and bereavement educators, clergy, spiritual leaders, and funeral directors
These include regulated health care professionals and unregulated care providers. In Ontario, regulated health professions (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, occupational therapists) are accountable to their regulatory colleges, which ensure that professionals provide health services in a safe, professional, and ethical manner. Unregulated care providers (e.g., palliative care volunteers, personal support workers) may assist with or perform certain aspects of care traditionally provided by regulated health care professionals, based on their role and employment setting, and are accountable to their employers.
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