From our Director

This is an important contribution that RePaDD makes to palliative care across Australia. Associated with these projects are continuing partnerships with groups and organisations across Australia as we look to extend the reach and impact of our work to improve outcomes for health professionals, patients and families, and communities.

We have also been taking the opportunity to share earlier research which might otherwise have been lost, by releasing studies and data stories as white papers. These add to the knowledge that can inform the development of palliative care and ensure its history is not lost. The white papers and research reports held on RePaDD are accessible online.

Congratulations also to the teaching team at Flinders who have developed short courses to companion their postgraduate offerings. These online short courses provide people working in the health and community care industries with invaluable skills to deliver quality care. The Certificate in Palliative Care is suitable for unregistered support workers, enrolled nurses, undergraduates, and healthcare professionals working in general settings or starting in specialist palliative care. The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care is suitable for healthcare professionals working in general settings or starting in Specialist Palliative Care.

RePaDD updates

RePaDD at the 2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference

The 2023 Oceanic Palliative Care Conference is fast approaching. RePaDD and the projects will be well represented with 13 presentations by members – Professor Jennifer Tieman, A/Prof Kim Devery, Dr Sara Javanparast, Dr Paul Tait, Dr Peter Allcroft, Dr Priyanka Vandersman, Dr Amanda Adams, Deb Rawlings, Shyla Mills and Kathy Boschen – as well as Dr Deidre Morgan on the "designing, delivering, and integrating quality palliative care" panel for the Opening Plenary Session.

CareSearch, ELDAC and End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE) will be present at booths during the conference, plus 17 e-posters representing studies and projects by RePaDD, ELDAC, CareSearch, palliAGED, EOLE, as well as partner projects, will also be on display.

Inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers

The Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs adopted an inquiry into the recognition of unpaid carers on 13 June 2023. As part of the inquiry, a submission by Dr Sara Javanparast and Professor Jennifer Tieman from RePaDD has been approved.

The submission includes research evidence for consideration and recommendations for the Committee. Dr Sara Javanparast appeared on ABC Radio Regional SA on 30 August 2023 to discuss the inquiry and the submission.

Visiting Scholar: Associate Professor Matthew Allsop

Dr Matthew Allsop, Associate Professor of Palliative Care from the University of Leeds, visited RePaDD for six weeks in July and August. The visit promoted collaboration and exchange of knowledge from research activities relating to the development and evaluation of technology-based approaches for palliative and end-of-life care by the Academic Unit of Palliative Care (University of Leeds) and RePaDD.

It has been a great opportunity to learn about the work Matthew is undertaking, to start collaborative work on digital health and palliative care, and to foster insightful conversations about the role of technology and the intersects between health, aged care, community, and society.

End-of-Life Essentials
Australian College of Nursing National Nursing Forum

End-of-Life Essentials (EOLE) recently contributed to the highly successful Australian College of Nursing (ACN) National Nursing Forum held on 9-11 August 2023 in Adelaide. This event brought together nurses, educators, students and other health professionals from Australia and across the globe.

With an incredible turnout of 821 delegates in-person and over 100 participants online, EOLE enjoyed the opportunity to foster connections and share ideas on the importance of the deliver of high-quality end-of life care within acute settings.

Thank you to Jeroen Hendriks, Professor of Cardiovascular Nursing, who spoke to EOLE about integrated care and the crucial role of end-of-life skills in cardiology, and to exhibitor neighbour, the Department of Health and Aged Care for their support. Such collaborations between Flinders University and government bodies are integral in improving the quality and safety of end-of-life care in hospitals. 

The Palliative Care Link Nurse Program – supporting nurses to care for dying patients and their families in hospital

Written by Melissa Bruno, Nurse Consultant and Palliative Care Link Nurse Coordinator, Northern Adelaide Palliative Service, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network.

Despite over half of all deaths in Australia occurring in hospitals, nurses are often not equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to care for someone who is dying. Nurses often feel they don’t know what to say to patients and families and feel they don’t have the confidence to have conversations about dying.

The Palliative Care Link Nurse Program was developed to explore nurses’ attitudes towards death and dying, and through support and mentorship, give them the skills and knowledge to feel more comfortable to care for dying patients.

Published research

Who cares for the carers? carerhelp: development and evaluation of an online resource to support the wellbeing of those caring for family members at the end of their life

Most people living with a terminal illness and approaching death will need the assistance of a non-professional carer such as a family member....Read more

A Novel Approach to Managing Thirst and Dry Mouth in Palliative Care: A Prospective Randomized Cross-Over Trial

Thirst and xerostomia are significant and highly distressing symptoms experienced by patients receiving palliative and end-of-life care...Read more

Death doula working practices and models of care: the views of death doula training organisations

Death doulas work independently without governing oversight and enact the role in various ways. The main driver of this evolving role is the organisations...Read more

The intentional pursuit of everyday life while dying: A longitudinal qualitative study of working-aged adults living with advanced cancer

People living with advanced cancer experience functional decline and increasing difficulty participating in activities of daily living over their final year...Read more

'When a patient chooses to die at home, that's what they want… comfort, home': Brilliance in community-based palliative care nursing

To redress the scholarly preoccupation with gaps, issues, and problems in palliative care, this article extends previous findings on what constitutes brilliant...Read more

International consensus on occupational therapy interventions for people with palliative care needs: A European Association for Palliative Care Group Concept Mapping study

While evidence shows that occupational therapists can play a key role in the care of people with palliative care needs, more knowledge about....Read more

Parental perspectives on the clinician's approach to serious illness communication: A qualitative study

To explore the perceptions of parents caring for a child with a life-limiting condition on approaches to communication used by clinicians engaging in...Read more

Matters of care and the good death - rhetoric or reality?

The notion of a 'good death' is central to hospice and palliative care philosophy. This review interrogates social imaginaries of the 'good death'...Read more

Events

RePaDD Seminar Series

The RePaDD lunchtime seminars, held fortnightly on Tuesdays from 12:30-1:30pm, is a free series open to all, focussed on research implications for palliative care, death and dying across the community, and health and social systems.

Upcoming Seminars:

26 September 2023
The Palliative Care Ambulance
A/Prof Aileen Collier (RePaDD/NALHN) and Andrew Noble (SA Ambulance Service)

24 October 2023
Psychological service provision in Australian Palliative Care Services
Dr Emma Brook, Northern Adelaide Palliative Service

RePaDD Seminar Video Collection

If you have missed a seminar session, or would like to review a presentation, you can find all our previous Lunchtime Seminars in the RePaDD Seminar Video Collection.

Want to contribute to the RePaDD Review? 
Please submit your story or feedback to repadd@flinders.edu.au