CareSearch updates

Demand for palliative care in the acute care setting is significant and is projected to increase steeply in coming years.
For many health professionals palliative care was not included in their training but to meet demand they will need skills, knowledge, and capability to respond. In our latest In-Focus we look at the evidence and what is expected of clinicians and how CareSearch’s new Acute Care section can support health professionals to provide palliative care across the hospital.

Hospital patients who identify as requiring end-of-life care (within the last 12 months of life) and those in the terminal phase of life where death is imminent and likely within hours or days, or occasionally weeks, and their families and carers need support. CareSearch has developed a new acute care section with evidence-based information and resources to help all clinicians take on this role. Visit the new Acute Care section to find information including:

• Recognising the need for palliative care
• Communication and shared decision making
• Planning for palliative care provision
• Responding to patient needs
• Grief and bereavement.

Patients often turn to their GP for support as they approach their end of life. Where do you begin?
To help we have developed a series of Guides for GPs to signpost access to actionable, relevant, evidence-based CareSearch resources that can help from the first conversation about end of life through to supporting bereaved family members and claiming MBS remuneration.
Download the guide for GPs providing palliative care in the community and others in the series developed to support you in caring for specific population groups. Printed packs of all 4 guides can be ordered using the order form.

CareSearch has recently published an article in Health Times to introduce the new Nurses Hub and to examine how palliative care is part of every nurses‘ role.

This week CareSearch has released a substantially expanded and updated Nurses hub. Developed in collaboration with nurses from across the care system and based on the latest evidence, the nurses hub provides practical information, tools, and resources across:

Planning, Communication, Assessment, Clinical care, End of life care, Loss, grief, and bereavement.

With a focus on assisting nurses to recognise, assess, and manage diverse palliative care needs, the new Symptoms management section also includes opportunities to record learning activity and practice reflections for each topic. We invite you to visit the new content and let us know what you think.

Palliative care of older people includes assessing and responding to cognitive issues such as confusion, delirium, dementia and/or communication difficulties. We have updated the Cognitive Impairment and Dementia pages.

Related resources in the Practice Centre give ideas for education, care actions, and organisational supports.