Education and Training
SpiDiScI-PC (Spiritual Distress Scale for Palliative Care in India) now available for use
Culture and local religious beliefs play an important role in a person’s spirituality. As a consequence, causes and expressions of spirituality differ across countries and cultures. For that reason, spiritual distress is best assessed by approaches and tools that consider the local cultural and religious context.
The Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine at IRCH-AIIMS, New Delhi, together with collaborators from India and abroad have developed a Hindi-language scale that has been specifically designed to assess spiritual distress in palliative care patients in India. Within the context of this scale, palliative care patients are patients who have palliative care needs.
Please click here to know more about how to use the scale and the permissions required to use the same
Applications invited for the ‘IAPC’s Course in the Physiotherapy – Palliative Care interface’
Applications are invited for the next online batch of the ‘IAPC’s Course in the Physiotherapy – Palliative Care interface’, scheduled to be held on Saturday, 29th April, 2023, between 2 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
The half-day course aims to not only enhance a physiotherapists’ understanding of how they can contribute towards the rendering of holistic palliative care, but also aims to educate the palliative care community on how physiotherapy can augment their patient care and symptom management.
Physiotherapists (BPT and MPT), Doctors practicing Palliative Medicine (MBBS / BDS) and Nurses practicing Palliative Care (BSc Nursing, Diploma in Nursing, or GNM), are eligible to participate in the course.
Please click here for further details and to register for this important course.
31 pharmacists successfully complete Part ‘A’ of the IAPC’s Certificate Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy on 11th March, 2023
We are happy to share, that 31 pharmacists from across the country registered for the IAPC’s third online batch of the ‘Certificate Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy’ and completed the virtual 4.5 hour ‘Part A’ module of the course on Saturday, 11th March, 2023.
The ‘Part A’ component of the course aimed to equip participants with adequate knowledge of the Principles and concepts of Palliative Care, the Management of pain and other common symptoms in palliative care and the Licensing and legalities of NDPS Act / Narcotic drugs (theory).
The interactive sessions were delivered by expert faculty from across the country. Course candidates will now proceed to complete the ‘Part B’ component of the course before Thursday, 11th May, 2023. The Part B component will provide candidates with a 2.5 hour in-person training at any of the IAPC Authorised course centers for this course.
The IAPC takes this opportunity to thank the participants and the Faculty for their support towards this program.
A few excerpts below, from the feedback received after participating in ‘Part A’ of the course.
“The sessions were Interactive and Innovative. The knowledge imparted was new (for me) and good”.
“It (the course) was very informative as I learnt new things. The course also covered practical aspects”
“Good faculty presented the topics were clearly”
The APM’s and the ISN’s ‘Masterclass – ImPaCT NephroCare’, hosts its first live session on 18th March, 2023
We are happy to report that 152 candidates registered to be the first cohort of the ‘Masterclass – ImPaCT NephroCare’, a certificate course supported and endorsed by the Academy of Palliative Medicine (APM) (a constituent unit of IAPC), and the Indian Society of Nephrology (ISN). The live session for the first cohort was held on Saturday, 18th March, 2023, with the cohort represented by palliative medicine, 20 of nephrology and 91 practising physicians from across the country.
This program uses Modular Learning Resources made available through a Learning Management System (LMS) to offer a set of ‘Immersive Palliative Care Training modules’, to activate the holistic care of patients and their families’ facing concerns related to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), and to strengthen the competencies in the field of Kidney Supportive Care. Course learnings will be further grounded through monthly online live interactive sessions for those registrants pursuing post-graduation in Palliative medicine. Each live session provides learners with didactics and an opportunity to discuss key clinical care elements with expert panellists. These live sessions are supported by Project ECHO through its hub at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences. The recorded live session will be available on the LMS to view for other registered learners.
The first module included live sessions on the Epidemiology and Burden of Kidney Replacement Therapy (KRT), Pathways to conservative Kidney Management, Models of Care, Guidelines to reconsider KRT and current challenges. The master class began with a welcome address by Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (President, APM), following which an overview of the curriculum was provided by Dr Nandini Vallath (Professor and Head, Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, St. Johns National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru). She further provided a synopsis of the key concepts presented through Module 1. This was followed by a panel discussion by Dr Frank Brennan (Palliative Care Physician, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales; Consultant, Department of Nephrology at St George Hospital, Sydney), Dr Sarah So (Renal and Palliative Care Physician, Nepean Hospital; Medical Lead, Kidney Supportive Care; Clinical Lecturer, University of Sydney, Sydney) and Dr Pankaj Singhai (In-charge of the Department of Palliative Medicine at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Indore) where they discussed relevant and interesting case studies.
The Scientific Committee of this course is represented by Dr Anuja Damani (Associate Professor, at the Department Of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal), Dr Avinash Tiwari (Specialist, Palliative Medicine Physician, Department of Medical Oncology, AIIMS Raipur), Dr Frank Brennan, Dr Nandini Vallath, Dr Pankaj Singhai, and Dr Shankar Prasad (Professor and Head, Department of Nephrology, KMC, Manipal).
Please click here for further details about this program.
BMCHRC, Jaipur, hosts a ‘field visit’ for 120 CHOs from across Rajasthan, on 4th and 16th March, 2023
120 Community Health Officers (CHOs) visited the Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC), Jaipur, as a part of their palliative care ‘field visit’ training on Saturday, 4th March, 2023, and Thursday, 16th March, 2023.
Each of these field visits was organised for approx. 5 hours and was offered in 2 batches with each batch represented by 60 candidates who had already received some training in palliative care from their respective district hospitals.
The CHOs included senior nurses (combination of BSc and MSc Nurses, GNMs and also a few Ayurvedic Practitioners) posted in various Health and Wellness Centers from across the State.
During the field visit, the CHOs were presented with a combination of lectures and rounds in the hospital’s Outpatient department, the wards and the hospice. Training included prescribing analgesics, morphine titration, Oral care and wound care, Lymphedema Management, basic communication and psychosocial training, Nurses Assessment etc.
The newly trained CHOs will return to their sub centers as they go on to cater to a population of 5000 patients with assistance from an ANM. Each CHOs sees an approx. 10-25 patients each day including advice and for further referral for non communicable diseases.
Dr Gilly Burn delivers a session on ‘The Art of gentle dying: A philosophy of Palliative care’ at SGRDUHS, Amritsar, on 9th March, 2023
On Thursday, 9th March, 2023, 65 Oncologists, Nurses and MBBS Interns, listened to Ms Gilly Burn (Founder Director, Cancer Relief India) deliver a session on ‘The Art of gentle dying: A philosophy of Palliative care’, at the Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences (SGRDUHS), Sri Amritsar, Punjab.
Dr Harjot Singh (In-charge, Sri Guru Ram Das Hospice) and Dr Paramjot Bindra (Co-In-charge, Sri Guru Ram Das Hospice) welcomed the audience and introduced Ms Gilly Burn to the audience.
Ms Gilly began her session by enlisting a few scenarios to showcase and highlight the need for palliative care services and how it was the need of the hour in India. Ms Gilly then went on to present on total pain, the principles of palliative care especially during end of life, and the right to choose where you would like to die. She also elaborated on empathy when she shared a picture of a patient in the ICU along with the beeping sounds from an ICU. This was extremely impactful, especially since it covered the ‘Stool Communication method’ in nurses. Ms Gilly concluded her session by emphasising the important role of volunteers and how each person in palliative care was a voice for the voiceless.
The thought-provoking session, filled with Ms Gilly Burn’s personal examples, facilitated the participants to relate to their own experiences which they shared later on in the session.
The audience shared that the session was very informative and eye-opening. The program for the day concluded with Ms Gilly Burn being facilitated by Dr A P Singh (Dean, SGRDUHS, Sri Amritsar).
NHM Bengaluru, sensitises 33 PHC Nurses from Urban Bengaluru on 13th March, 2023
The National Health Mission, Bengaluru, sensitises 33 Nurses working at different Primary Health Care (PHC) centers across Urban Bengaluru, in the basics on Palliative Care on Monday, 13th March 2023.
The half day, in-person sensitisation program was conducted as a part of the implementation of the National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC), and was organised by the Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Urban Bengaluru, at the Sir CV Raman General Hospital, Bengaluru.
Ms Sangeetha N (Nursing Tutor, Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya), conducted this very important training program as she introduced the concept and principles of palliative care to the participants. Ms Sangeetha’s training also included topics such as the role of nurses in delivering palliative care, the need, importance and benefits of provisioning palliative care in the community, and insights into the various aspects of home care.
The training was interactive as it also included workshops in which the newly empowered nurses were asked to present their thoughts on how they plan to implement palliative care in the community.
NHM Assam organises a four day orientation program in Palliative and Elderly Care for 44 Medical Officers between 13th – 16th March, 2023
A State level Training Program for Urban Medical Officers on Palliative and Elderly Care was organized by the National Urban Health Mission (NHM), Assam, between Monday, 13th March, 2023, and Thursday, 16th March, 2023, at the Assam Administrative Staff College in Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam.
The comprehensive orientation program aimed to sensitize and improve the knowledge and skills of the participating 44 Medical Officers regarding the importance and various aspects of Palliative and Elderly Care due to the steady increase in those needing such services.
The four day sessions began with Dr Biraj K Shome (Health Systems Officer, WHO) introducing the program and its need in the State. The training was provided by expert faculty Dr Amiya Kumar (State Nodal Officer, Teleconsultation, NHM, Assam), Dr Arun Deka (Associate Professor and HOD, Department of Anaesthesiology and Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, State Cancer Institute, GMCH, Guwahati), Dr Dipankar Dakua (Palliative Care Physician, Assam Cancer Care Foundation, State Cancer Institute, GMCH, Guwahati) and Dr Nivedita Upamanyu (Resident, Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, State Cancer Institute, GMCH, Guwahati) who presented sessions on introduction to palliative care, Communication Skills, Psychosocial aspects of elderly and palliative care, Assessment & management of pain, Ethical issues, End of life care, Role of medical officers in palliative and elderly care, symptom management, management of emergencies and humanitarian crises, management of sores & wounds, etc.
Dr M S Lakshmi Priya IAS (Mission Director, NHM, Assam) also attended the session and elaborated the importance of the training and the topics covered. She went on to urge candidates to make the best use of this training by empowering themselves with the required skill set, and to understand the power and role a Medical Officer holds in reducing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those suffering patients in their region.
QICON 2023, conducted successfully at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, 14th – 15th March, 2023
India’s first ever Quality Improvement conference was held at the St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, on Tuesday 14th March, 2023, and Wednesday, 15th March, 2023. The two day in-person conference was organised by the Quality Improvement (QI) Board of India, the National Cancer Grid (NCG), India, in collaboration with Stanford Healthcare, USA.
The QI Board of NCG, was represented by Dr Ravi Kannan, Dr Shirley Salins, Dr Rahul Krisharty, Dr Sarbani Laskar, Dr Jenifer Jeba and Dr Nandini Vallath. Dr Karl Lorenz and Mr Jake Mickelsen represented Stanford Healthcare.
40 delegates of QICON were invited alumni from across the various cohorts of the EQuIP-India program, representing cancer care and palliative care institutions from across India. The conference was inaugurated by Dr George D’Souza (Dean, St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences), who emphasised the need to maintain equity in the quality of cancer-care. After the welcome by the Scientific Chair, Dr Nandini Vallath, Dr Pramesh, the convener of NCG and Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, shared the astounding growth of NCG India since its inception in 2012, and its mission of enabling uniform high quality cancer care across the country.
The conference aimed to consolidate and categorize what had already been achieved over the years of conducting EQuIP India, and reflect on what would best serve the QI domain in India, going forward.
The success of the conference has prompted NCG India to enhance the visibility of the QI webspace, enhance the access to completed QI projects within its E-learning platform by clearly categorizing them under the different categories of healthcare quality. It has also resolved to identify and acknowledge QI friendly NCG centres and strengthen the back-office support extended to this program.
NHM Arunachal Pradesh, sensitises District Officers and Health and Welfare Officers, in the basics of Palliative Care in March, 2023
The National Health Mission (NHM), Arunachal Pradesh, is continuing to take forward their agenda to sensitise and train all sections of their staff in the basics of Palliative Care.
As a testament to this commitment, 26 District officers of different programs, were sensitised about the principles and concepts of Palliative care, on Thursday, 16th March, 2023, with an aim to have their buy-in for an increased uptake and effective implementation of the National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC) in the State.
This training was conducted as part of the two day ‘State Level Review Meeting cum ToT of CPHC NCD IT System for District Program Officers (DPO), District Reproductive and Child Health Officers (DRCHOs) and District Program Coordinators (DPC)’ held at the District Health Secretariat’s (DHS) Conference Hall, Naharlagun.
On Friday, 24th March, 2023, 26 newly inducted Health and Wellness Officers (HWO) from all of Arunachal Pradesh’s 26 districts were sensitised in the basic principles and concepts of palliative care. Dr Tashi Chotton (State Nodal Officer, NPPC, Government of Arunachal Pradesh) delivered this introductory lecture in palliative care, to one of the most important grassroot level workers of the State, as part of the State’s 10 day induction training for these State and Wellness Officers, organised at the Conference Hall, Hotel Grand Orchid, Itanagar.
In addition to sensitizing the candidates in palliative care, Dr Chotton also highlighted their roles in implementing the NPPC and urged all candidates to participate in the various training programs offered by the IAPC.
ELNEC India trains 63 Nurses at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, between 23rd and 25th March, 2023
The End-of-life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) conducted a three day training program for 63 Nurses at the St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, between Thursday, 23rd March, 2023, and Saturday, 25th March, 2023. The training was supported by Cipla Foundation.
The 63 Nurses (Nursing tutors, Nursing students and Bedside nurses) were trained in the principles and concepts of palliative care to empower them to provide quality palliative care for patients with advanced illness at their end of life. The program also included concepts of End of Life Nursing Care, its vital role in interdisciplinary teams, ways of improving End of Life Care for patients across settings and role plays on nurse-patient therapeutic communication, breaking bad news, assessment of pain control, wound dressing, symptom management, how to conduct bereavement visits and ways to deliver affordable home care in poor settings.
The interactive and rich program was delivered by ELNEC’s expert Faculty, Sr. Hanife MacGamwell (Nursing Education Coordinator, IAPC and ELNEC India), Sr. Nileema Shingade (Senior Nursing Officer, Dr B.R.A, IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi) and Sr. Sangeetha N (Nursing Tutor, Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya).
Participants shared that the rich training program was very useful as it provided them with several practical insights which will help them to provide quality palliative care to their patients. Post this three day training, several participants were also enthusiastic towards taking up palliative care as a potential career option in their future.
The enthusiastic participants were provided certificates at the end of the training period. Program participants were also eligible to receive 15 Continued Nursing Education (CNE) credits from the Karnataka Nursing Council.
23 Staff Nurses from Leh District trained by NHM Ladakh, in the basics of Palliative Care on 24th March, 2023
23 staff nurses from Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh, were trained in the basics of Palliative care on Friday, 24th March, 2023. This training was organised by the National Health Mission (NHM), Ladakh, as a part implementing the National Program for Palliative Care (NPPC) in the Union Territory.
The one day training was conducted by Dr Rinchen Dolma (Consultant Anaestheist, SNM Hospital, Leh) at the Chief Medical Officer’s office training Hall, Leh.
The informative and interactive training sessions included concepts on the principles and concepts of palliative care, pain management, Home care, delivery of palliative care in the community and at the Health and Wellness centers and referral centers, the role of caregivers, volunteers, ASHA’s and Multi-purpose health workers in providing palliative care, End of life Care, Death and Dying, and communication skills etc. Several group activities and role plays were adopted to cement the learnings from the day.
The District Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cell, Leh, expressed their gratitude to Dr Rinchen Dolma, for being the resource person for the day.
Pallium India and NHM Ladakh, organise the sensitisation of 120 CHO’s from across Ladakh in basics of Palliative Care in February and March, 2023
120 Community Health Officers (CHO) from across Ladakh were trained virtually in the basics of palliative care over multiple batches in February and March, 2023. The training was organised jointly by Pallium India and the National Health Mission (NHM), Ladakh.
The 120 Community Health Officers (CHO) (Medical Officers and Nurses) were trained by Dr Anjum Joad Khan (Director, Department of Anaesthesia and Palliative Care Medicine, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur) and Dr Minhaj Akhter (Assistant Consultant, Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Jaipur), in 6 batches, with each batch consisting of approx. 20 CHOs.
Each of these sessions covered and introduced participants to the basic aspects of palliative care, pain management, wound management, prevention and management of pressure sores, and other relevant and basic issues that a CHO would possibly encounter at their Health and Wellness Centers. The training was largely based on the National Health Systems Resource Centre’s (NHSRC) operational guidelines for palliative care.
Mr Gylax (State Program Officer, NHM Ladhak) welcomed the participants and introduced the program to the candidates. Dr Sandeep Bhalla (Associate Vice President, ECHO India) then presented his opening remarks. The sessions were then virtually inaugurated by Dr Iftakhar Ahmed Chowdhary (Mission Director, National Health Mission, UT of Ladakh) and coordinated by Dr Fajar Shah (Associate Manager, Projects, ECHO India).
Dr Anjum shares, “It was a very novel experience for the trainers as some of the participants joined us from places where the environmental temperature was -13 and -3 degrees celsius. Despite these harsh conditions, all participants were very interested, interactive and enthusiastic throughout the program.”
Update from IAPC Academy
Report on activities in March
The IAPC Academy’s Online Lecture Series 6, presented 4 lectures in March. Series 6 is designed to deliver a total of 35 lectures, which will be presented by students of MD and DNB in Palliative Medicine from across the country and moderated by a Faculty from their respective center.
The first lecture for March, was a fantastic presentation on ‘Antenatal palliative care consultation: Implications for decision-making and perinatal outcomes’ delivered by Dr Shruti Kamble and moderated by Dr Manasi Patil. The second presentation was a comprehensive presentation on ‘Congenital malformations and palliative care’ presented by Dr Neha Singh and moderated by Dr Rakesh Garg. This was followed by an enlightening presentation on ‘Psycho-pathology of death in children and bereavement care for parents’ presented by Dr Savan Kukadia and moderated by Dr Bhavna Patel. The sessions for the month culminated with an excellent presentation on ‘Palliative care in patients with dementia’, presented by Dr Manisha and moderated by Dr Nishkarsh Gupta.
We thank our speakers and the moderators for sharing their time and expertise to enrich the knowledge of the palliative care’s community.
Please click here to access the recordings of lectures conducted.
Sessions planned for April
We invite you to join us for the lectures scheduled for April from Series 6. Details below:
