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The modern hospice movement emerged as a social response to the growing social isolation of people who were dying. Although more than fifty years have passed since its establishment, the field of palliative - or hospice - care remains insufficiently understood both by professionals and the wider public. Social work is often described as being woven into the very foundations of palliative care, representing a vital and frequently decisive component of comprehensive support for individuals and their families facing severe and incurable illness. The primary goal of palliative care is to maximise the quality of life of the person affected by illness and their family, within the limits of the circumstances. Much of what is possible today, especially regarding home-based palliative care, would not be feasible without skilled and, ideally, specially trained palliative social workers. Social work focuses on the personal and social changes caused by illness, and their impact on the patient, family system, social networks and community. At the end of life, it is essential to help people use their remaining time in the best possible way, while maintaining stability within the family. Listing social work tasks comprehensively is almost impossible due to significant national variations. In addition to direct practice with children and adults, palliative social workers frequently provide counselling and bereavement support, coordinate volunteers, engage in education, contribute to research and participate in policy development.

Resources relating to training provided by Hubken Group are available here.

Sveobuhvatna procena u palijativnoj nezi je usmerena na ublažavanje patnje. Medicinska sestra igra značajnu ulogu u procesu procene jer na osnovu nje planira dalji tok zdravstvene nege. Procena u palijativnoj nezi obuhvata pored fizičkih simptoma još psihosocijalne i duhovne komonente. Procena uključuje sve ove aspekte,sa ciljem  obezbeđivanja individualnog pristupa nezi, pružajući pacijentu osećaj smokontrole i dostojanstva. Dobrom procenom koja uključuje sve aspekte stanja i iskustva pacijenta su usmerene na ublažavanje patnje. Procenom u palijativnoj nezi, medicinska sestra može da planira adekvatnu negu koja će odgovoriti svim potrebama pacijenta. U procenu treba uključiti  porodicu kako bi se sagledali svi aspekti zbrinjavanja. Za dobar proces procene neophodno je poznavanje komunikacionih veština, te je edukacija medicinskih sestara u ovoj oblasti neophodna. Da bi osmislila negu pacijenata u palijativnom zbrinjavanju medicinska sestra treba da razume da se procena u palijativnoj nezi dosta razlikuje od drugih vrsta kliničke procene. Razlika se odnosi na cilj koji je kod ovih pacijenata usmeren na ublažavanje patnje. Važno je prepoznati i prihvatiti da pacijentovo iskustvo sa bolešću ima više dimenzija. Sve one zajedno mnogo utiču na tok zdravstvene nege. Sam proces procene može biti instrument palijativne nege i  ima terapeutski efekat. Uloga medicinske sestre u ovom procesu je da vodi računa o pacijentu u celini a ne samo o bolesti. Procena započinje pravilnim uzimanjem anamneze, uz sažet prikaz bolesti. Započinjemo uzimanjem podataka o fizičkim tegobama da bi nastavili sa psihosocijalnim i duhovnim pitanjima. Taj put nas vodi ka definisanjima ciljeva nege, koji bi bili usklađeni sa željama pacijenta. Dobro obučena I edukovana medicinska sestra može sveobuvatno da sprovede procenu, i isplanira zdravstvenu negu prilagođenu pacijentu i njegovim potrebama. Rezultati dobre procene simptoma u palijativnoj nezi uitču na proces sprovđrnja nege ovih pacijenata, sa fokusom na podizanju kvaliteta života ovih pacijenata.

Dear Participants, Welcome to the Hospices of Hope e-course for nurses! 🌿 We’re so glad to have you here. This course will take you on a short but meaningful learning journey through the world of skin care in palliative settings  - from understanding how the skin works, to recognising and managing fistulas, malignant wounds, and pressure injuries. Along the way, you’ll find useful lessons, practical tips, and short quizzes to help you strengthen your skills and confidence. We hope this learning experience will be inspiring and rewarding, and that the knowledge you gain will help you improve the comfort and quality of life of patients with skin changes. Good luck and enjoy the journey! 💙 Hospices of Hope Mijodrag Bogićević (Miki), Regional Education Specialist

Caring for patients in the final stages of life requires sensitivity, professional competence, and compassion. This course introduces nurses to the philosophy, principles, and practical aspects of palliative care, with a particular focus on the final days and hours of life. It highlights the importance of recognising the signs of approaching death, communicating effectively and empathetically with patients and their families, making ethically grounded decisions, and maintaining the patient’s dignity until the very end. The nurse plays a central and irreplaceable role in this process - providing comfort, alleviating suffering, and creating a peaceful and humane environment for the patient. Care extends beyond the physical domain, encompassing emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support for both the patient and their loved ones. The aim of the course is to enable nurses to understand the essence of palliative care and to develop the skills required to support patients at the end of life. Upon completion, participants will be able to recognise and assess the needs of patients in the terminal phase of illness, communicate openly and sensitively, manage symptoms that cause distress, and make decisions consistent with ethical principles and the best interests of the patient. Particular attention is devoted to supporting the family, both during the dying process and throughout the period of bereavement. Through this learning experience, nurses are empowered to deliver holistic, professional, and compassionate care  - ensuring that the process of dying remains dignified, humane, and peaceful.

This course highlights the vital collaboration between nurses and social workers in effective pain management within palliative care. It offers nurses essential knowledge about the definition, etiology, assessment, and management of pain, helping them to better understand both its physical and psychosocial dimensions. Participants will explore the concept of "total pain," recognizing that pain is not only a physical experience but also influenced by emotional, social, and spiritual factors. While nurses focus on continuous assessment, medication administration, and monitoring comfort, social workers address the emotional distress, family dynamics, and social determinants that may intensify pain. By the end of this course, learners will understand how joint efforts between nurses and social workers create a compassionate and holistic model of care, ensuring that pain is managed comprehensively and humanely.

Comprehensive assessment in palliative care is directed toward alleviating suffering. The nurse plays a significant role in the assessment process, as it forms the basis for planning the subsequent course of healthcare. Assessment in palliative care encompasses not only physical symptoms but also psychosocial and spiritual components. This assessment incorporates all these aspects with the aim of ensuring an individualized approach to care, thereby providing the patient with a sense of self-control and dignity. A thorough assessment that includes all dimensions of the patient's condition and experience is oriented toward mitigating suffering. Through assessment in palliative care, the nurse can plan appropriate care that addresses all of the patient's needs. The family should be involved in the assessment to evaluate all aspects of care comprehensively. Effective assessment requires proficiency in communication skills, making education of nurses in this area essential. To design care for patients in palliative settings, the nurse must understand that assessment in palliative care differs substantially from other forms of clinical assessment. This difference pertains to the objective, which, for these patients, is focused on symptom relief. It is crucial to recognize and accept that the patient's experience of illness is multidimensional. Collectively, these dimensions exert a profound influence on the trajectory of healthcare. The assessment process itself can serve as a tool of palliative care and may yield a therapeutic effect. The nurse's role in this process is to attend to the patient holistically, rather than solely to the disease. Assessment commences with a structured history-taking, accompanied by a concise summary of the illness. It begins with gathering data on physical complaints, progressing to psychosocial and spiritual inquiries. This approach guides the formulation of care goals that align with the patient's preferences. A well-trained and educated nurse can conduct a comprehensive assessment and devise healthcare tailored to the patient and their specific needs. The outcomes of a robust symptom assessment in palliative care impact the implementation of care for these patients, with an emphasis on enhancing their quality of life.

Communication with elderly/dementia patients

The Process of Dying Part 1 This lecture is given by Prof Jo Hockley

The Basics of Good Care Part 1This Lecture is provided by Prof Jo Hockley

This lecture is provided by Prof Jo Hockley

This lecture is provided by Prof Julia Downing

This lecture is provided by Miki Bogcevic

This lecture is provided  by Miki Bogicevic

This lecture is provided by Roxanna Horeica

This lecture is provided by Roxana Horeica

This lecture is provided by Prof Jo Hockley

This lecture is provided by Prof Jo Hockley

This lecture is provided by Prof Julia Downing

This course is provided by Pro Julia Downing.

This lecture is provided by Cristina Darabont