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ENHANCING PALLIATIVE CARE THROUGHOUT THE REGION
Providing education, training and learning opportunities
are an integral and valued part of everyone’s role at
Te Omanga Hospice. A significant aspect of our educational role is routinely hosting medical trainees and nursing students at various stages of their training to increase the palliative care skills and knowledge of doctors and nurses across all disciplines.
IN THE LAST YEAR
WE HOSTED APPROX.
TRAINEE INTERNS
HOUSE SURGEONS &
REGISTRARS
Te Omanga Hospice hosts third-year medical students during their 'community contact' week to introduce them to the wide range of services we offer. Additionally, we host fifth-year medical students, providing them with the opportunity to interview a patient and present the case to one of our Palliative Medicine Specialists. These students also receive tutorials on prescribing pain relief and accompany a hospice Community Palliative Care Nurse to visit patients at their homes. This is one of the few opportunities during their entire training to leave the hospital setting and see patients in the community.
RESEARCH
The Te Omanga Research CHampions (TORCH) group has continued to meet regularly throughout the year. This group
is organised by Dr Kaye Basire, alongside Dr Salina Iupati, and membership is open to anyone working in palliative care who has a research question they wish to explore. New researchers receive support from experienced members, some of whom have extensive research backgrounds.
Te Omanga Hospice is asked to participate in external research studies, and one of the functions of TORCH is to look at
these proposals and decide whether to participate. This year the Hospice participated in a research study on Palliative Care Delivery in Prisons and is participating in another study on Palliative Care for Pacific Children.
Medical Director, Ian Gwynne-Robson shares,
“Teaching junior doctors is one way that we deliver on the vision of Te Omanga Hospice: that even patients who don’t get referred to our hospice still receive equitable, responsive, and proactive palliative care support."
Furthermore, we host House Surgeons for three-month rotations in our Inpatient Unit, allowing newly qualified doctors to build their palliative care skills. We also have various Registrars work with us on six-month rotations. Registrars are more
senior trainee doctors working towards specialist qualifications. Some will become Palliative Medical Specialists, while others are training in different specialties. Over the past several years,
Te Omanga Hospice has welcomed registrars from Geriatrics, Renal Medicine, General Practice, Rural Hospital Medicine
and General Medicine. All these doctors will return to their specialties with new knowledge and skills in palliative medicine.
Our Nursing team supports 3rd year nursing students on their nine-week clinical placement. These students are part of Massey and Whitireia Bachelor of Nursing programmes. They predominantly work alongside our team in the IPU, but also have the opportunity to accompany our multidisciplinary team members during community visits. Working with the Hospice team provides students with experience in the holistic care of patients, delivered with a multidisciplinary approach.
We offer a programme for primary health care professionals, with our “link program”. This is targeted at health care professionals, predominantly nurses and paramedics, working in settings that deliver general palliative care. Its aim is to provide enhanced knowledge of palliative care and an opportunity to work alongside our experienced specialist team.
Dr Kaye Basire and Registered Nurse David Gillmore, published their research paper in the peer reviewed Journal of Pain and Symptom Management “Beyond Feasibility”: patients, their whānau (family) and staff perspectives of delirium prevention. They are now working on a second paper from their research.
Dr Salina Iupati submitted her PhD thesis, which is currently with reviewers. Her research, on Models of Integration of Primary and Specialist Palliative Care, is highly topical and timely. Salina was subsequently chosen to join the Health New Zealand- Te Whatu Ora Working Group to address this question: How should adult Palliative Care Specialist Services be delivered in Aotearoa New Zealand? Our hospice began supporting Salina’s research work five years ago, and it is having a significant impact.
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