Education and Training
Applications invited for the IAPC’s Certificate Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers
The IAPC is inviting registrations for the fourth online batch of the IAPC’s ‘Certificate Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers’.
Individuals who can commit, who have the time, and are willing to offer their services in palliative care facilities are invited to register for the course which aims to equip and empower ‘compassionate volunteers’ with relevant knowledge and interpersonal skills needed to volunteer in palliative care settings. The course will therefore place strong emphasis on communication skills, counselling skills, and the various psycho-social issues and its management, which a volunteer might potentially be faced with.
The course will be delivered in two components: a 16-hour virtual and theoretical ‘Part A’ component, and a 16 hour in-person practical ‘Part B’ component. Only those candidates successfully completing both components of the program will be eligible to receive the course completion certificate.
The 16-hour ‘Part A’ component of the course will be delivered over 6 days (2 hours each during the weekdays and 4 hours over the weekend) in May 2024. The course dates for this component of the course are 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th May, 2024.
Post successfully completing the ‘Part A’ component of the course, course participants can proceed to the ‘Part B’ of the program, a 16-hour observership in any recognised palliative care unit.
For further details and to apply, please click here.
23 individuals participated in the ‘Part A’ component of the IAPC’s ‘Certificate Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy’ on 16th March, 2024
23 individuals (16 Pharmacists and 7 Doctors) participated in the 5th online batch of the IAPC’s ‘Certificate Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy’, which was held successfully on Saturday, 16th March, 2024.
Post participating in the ‘Part A’ component of the course, participants will be empowered with adequate knowledge of commonly used drugs in Palliative Care for pain management and other symptoms. The course will also cover Essential Narcotic Drugs and Narcotic Drugs along with the technical legalities to procure, store, dispense and document the same.
Course participants will now proceed towards the 3-hour in-person ‘Part B’ training component of the course.
Excerpts from the feedback received as below:
“The class were explained well. The notes were understandable and experienced faculty handled the sessions”
“The sessions were interactive and informative”.
Registrations invited for the 4th CME of the Delhi State Chapter of the IAPC, New Delhi, 27th April, 2024
Registrations are invited for the 4th Continuing Medical Education (CME) on ‘Geriatric Palliative Care: Guiding light through life’s transitions’ organised by the Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, under the aegis of the Delhi State Chapter of the IAPC.
The in-person seminar is free to attend for anyone interested and is being organised at the Dr Ramalingaswami Board Room, at AIIMS, New Delhi, on Saturday, 27th April, 2024, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Though registration is free, it is still mandatory. Please click here or scan the QR code in the image to register your participation for the CME.
Registrations invited for the TMC’s CEPaC on 10th and 11th August, 2024, at TMH, Mumbai
Registrations are invited for the Tata Memorial Centre’s (TMC) 2nd Continuing Education in Palliative Care (CEPaC), scheduled to be held on Saturday, 10th August, 2024, and Sunday, 11th August, 2024.
The in-person two-day academic activity is themed ‘Symptom Assessment and Management using [PM – POCUS]’ and is being organised by the Department of Palliative Medicine, Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai, at the R D Choksi Auditorium at TMH, Mumbai.
Sessions this year are designed to include a combination of lectures and workshops and will cover topics such as Symptom Assessment (Cancer Thrombosis and Effusions), Patient Management using Point of Care Ultra Sound, a hands-on Ultrasound Workshop, and an opportunity to interact with and meet experts and engage in rich discussions with palliative physicians from across the country.
Please click here to register for the workshop and conference.
The 3rd CME of the Delhi State Chapter of IAPC conducted successfully on 2nd March, 2024
The Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, successfully hosted the 3rd CME on ‘Nutrition in Cancer: Best Defense against Cancer’s Evil Offense’ under the aegis of the Delhi State Chapter of the IAPC, on Saturday, 2nd March, 2024, at the Dr Ramalingaswami Board Room, AIIMS, New Delhi.
The CME began with Dr Seema Mishra (Chairman, Delhi Chapter of IAPC) welcoming the gathering. This was followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and addresses by Dr Sushma Bhatnagar (President, IAPC), Dr Sanjay Thulker (Head, Department of Radiology, AIIMS New Delhi), and Dr Parmeet Kaur (Chief Dietician, AIIMS New Delhi).
The CME which was attended by over 100 healthcare professionals included riveting presentations and discussions with expert faculty from diverse backgrounds who shared knowledge and valuable insights via a combination of presentations and discussions. The CME therefore included sessions and panel discussions on nutritional deficiencies in cancer patients, cancer cachexia, current guidelines for nutrition in cancer patients, role of diet in cancer prevention, multidisciplinary approach for managing nutritional deficiencies in cancer patients etc.
Participants were then invited to participate in an adrenalin filled quiz session led by Dr Rakesh Garg (Professor, Dept. of Onco-anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, AIIMS New Delhi).
The CME concluded with Dr Sachidanand Jee Bharti (Honorary Secretary, Delhi Chapter of IAPC) presenting the vote of thanks. Please click here to read the complete report from the event.
254 individuals sensitised about the basics of palliative care in North Bengal between 5th and 8th March, 2024
Shanti Palliative Care Center had organised a series of awareness and sensitisation programs across North Bengal between Tuesday, 5th March, 2024, and Friday, 8th March, 2024, at various locations in North Bengal.
These sensitisation visits were organised in light of Ms Gilly Burn’s (Oncology & Palliative Care specialist nurse from UK) visit to the region, which included Siliguri, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong.
A total of 254 individuals represented by Doctors, Nurses, Government officials, Volunteers and Students participated in the awareness and sensitisation sessions held at various locations such as Jesu Ashram (Siliguri), Neotia Getwel Multispeciality Hospital Siliguri), College of Nursing (Kalimpong), College of Nursing (North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri), Bishop James Rural Center (Jalpaiguri) and Hayden Hall (Darjeeling).
At each of these sessions, My Gilly Burn introduced the basic principles and concepts of palliative care to the audience along with touching upon concepts of the role of nurses in palliative care, communication in palliative care, challenges in palliative care, and concluded how it was everyone’s responsibility and business to add life to days of those with health related sufferings. Dr Pankaj Chowdhary (Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Palliative Physician, Shanti Nursing Home, Siliguri, West Bengal) who had organised the set of awareness sessions shares that a lot of interest towards palliative care has been generated as a result of these sessions.
40 employees of NMDC Chhattisgarh sensitised in the basics of palliative care on 7th March, 2024
40 employees from the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) were sensitised with the basics of palliative care at an awareness session organised by the company in their office at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday, 7th March, 2024.
The event was attended by members of the NMDC Chhattisgarh’s administrative body and their industrial workers. Dr Avinash Tiwari (Consultant, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Sanjeevani CBCC Cancer Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh) sensitised the gathering about the principle and concept of palliative care, the holistic approach it offers by addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those facing life-limiting illnesses, the importance of palliative care in the advanced stages of serious illnesses and its impact in enhancing the quality of life for patients and their caregivers throughout the illness trajectory. Dr Tiwari also addressed several of the misconceptions associated with palliative care, eg. palliative care is only for end-of-life care.
Dr Rakesh Mishra (Medical oncologist, Sanjeevani CBCC Cancer Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh), Dr Vivek Patel (Senior Cancer Surgeon, Sanjeevani CBCC Cancer Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh) and Dr Kalyan Pandey (Senior Cancer Surgeon, Sanjeevani CBCC Cancer Hospital, Raipur, Chhattisgarh) joined Dr Tiwari to further enrich the discussions by providing comprehensive insights into the various facets of cancer care and it’s management.
The session concluded with the speakers touching upon the most often overlooked aspect of mental health: depression, among the industrial workers. This segment aimed to raise awareness about the prevalence of depression within this demographic, the importance of early detection and intervention to significantly improve the overall well-being and productivity of the industrial workers.
NHM Arunachal Pradesh organises a one-day orientation cum review meeting for District Program Officers on 8th March, 2024
The National Health Mission (NHM) of Arunachal Pradesh had organised a one-day orientation cum review meeting as a part of the ‘National Programme for Palliative Care’ for District Program Officers on Friday, 8th March, 2024, at Hotel Dhassang in Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh.
81 individuals comprising of District program officers, Medical officers and nursing officers from 26 districts of Arunachal Pradesh participated in the in-person meeting.
The interactive session aimed to orient and refresh the participants knowledge about palliative care and the NPPC, take stock of the program implementation including fund disbursal within each district till date, provide information about the services available at the State Tertiary Cancer Center and when to make a referral, provide information and encourage participants to enrol in the IAPC’s Certificate Course in the Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC), and provide updates about the upcoming World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2024. The day-long session concluded with the distribution of the reporting formats and with the concerned being asked to adhere to and submit the reports as per the timeline provided.
The interactive program was led by Dr Tashi Chotton (State Nodal Officer, NPPC, Government of Arunachal Pradesh).
24 senior nurses participated in ELNEC India’s training program at Calicut between 8th and 10th March, 2024
24 senior nurses from IQRAA Hospital and Thanal Daya Rehab center, Calicut, Kerala, participated in a three-day End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium’s (ELNEC) training program held at IQRAA Hospital between Friday, 8th March, 2024, and Sunday, 10th March, 2024.
The in-person training program aimed to empower participants in the principles and concepts of palliative care and enable them to provide quality palliative care for patients with health-related suffering. The program also included concepts on End-of-Life Nursing Care, a nurse’s role in interdisciplinary teams, end-of-life care across settings, communication sessions which included role plays, breaking bad news, assessment of pain control, wound dressing, symptom management, how to conduct bereavement visits etc.
The very interactive training program was conducted by Lt Alice Stella Verginia (Palliative care Nurse, ELNEC master facilitator).
BHT – KIPCER successfully conducted a workshop on ‘Spirituality in Palliative Care’ between 14th and 16th March, 2024
The Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya Institute for Palliative Care Education and Research (BHT-KIPCER) successfully concluded a three-day workshop on ‘Spirituality in Palliative Care’ at Karunashraya, Bengaluru, Karnataka, between Thursday, 14th March, 2024, and Saturday, 16th March, 2024.
A diverse cohort of 26 participants (doctors, counsellors, and postgraduate students) participated in an interactive workshop to gain hands-on experience to understand cultural, religious, and philosophical dimensions that influence an individual’s approach to death and dying. Over the course of three days, participants gained insights into addressing the spiritual needs in patient care by learning to explore the role of spirituality in palliative care, develop culturally competent spiritual assessment skills, and enhance one’s communication skills and support strategies for addressing spiritual issues, by participating in group discussions and role plays.
The workshop was led by Dr Santosh Chaturvedi (Course Director; Hon. Consultant Psychiatrist, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya Vrindavan, Barsana & Mangarh, UP), and supported by faculty from BHT – KIPCER, Dr Nagesh Simha (Founder Medical Director, Karunashraya), Dr Seema R Rao (Associate Director, Education Research), and Ms Michelle Normen (Psycho-Oncologist, Lead – Counselling), the workshop aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of the role of spirituality in palliative care.
Course participant, Ms Shubha Pai (Psychologist, Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad) shares feedback as follows, “It was a great workshop. It really helped answer a lot of questions and more importantly, opened up a lot more questions in a good way. Can’t wait to have a similar one, even if it’s for a day at our institute.”
44 clinicians from across the country participated in the 6th cohort of the CTC’s Foundation course between 22nd and 24th March, 2024
44 individuals from across India participated enthusiastically in the 6th cohort of the Cancer Treatment Center (CTC) program held between Friday, 22nd March, 2024, and Sunday, 24th March, 2024, at Delhi. The 2.5 day in-person ‘Foundation course’ is organised jointly by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network and the Lien Foundation.
Participants had learnt the basic concepts and principles of palliative care via pre-recorded lectures which they could access through a Learning Management System from February, 2024. The in-person foundation course further cemented these concepts and continued discussions with a practical approach to include case based discussions, role plays, interactive workshops and small group discussions. The entire program was led by a committed group of 16 expert national and international faculty from India and Singapore.
Participants will now proceed towards a 5-day clinical attachment at either AIIMS, New Delhi, or at the Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre, Manipal, Karnataka. This will be followed by the mentor’s visit to each of the training centers, and with a 1.5 day in-person refresher course scheduled towards the end of 2024.
Feedback from one participant as follows, “Thank you to the organisers and faculty for the guidance and support. It was a valuable session and an enlightening experience for me. The sessions were not only informative but helped us brainstorm. I am grateful for the chance to enhance my skills in such a great platform. I will definitely implement the knowledge gained through these sessions and improve in the quality of care for my patients”.
40 caregivers successfully trained in IPM’s ‘Caregiver’s Training Programme’ at Kozhikode between 28th and 30th March, 2024
40 individuals from different walks of life and who have been caregivers or who are interested to be caregivers for members within their communities participated in the 151st batch of the three-day Caregiver’s Training Programme organised by the Institute of Palliative Medicine (IPM) at Kozhikode, Kerala between Thursday, 28th March, 2024, and Friday, 30th March, 2024.
The three-day in-person training program, conducted in Malayalam, aims to equip laypersons with essential skills to care for bedridden individuals.
The 20-hour curriculum is designed to have peer-learning with trainers only tasked with the role of guiding participants through the learning process outlined in the training manual which is curated to provide a holistic understanding of caregiving. A combination of lectures, group discussions and role plays are an integral part of the training program which explores topics such as the basic concepts of palliative care, communication skills, ethical issues, spiritual issues, basic nursing skills, psycho-social issues, death and dying etc., all.
Post course completion the participants are empowered to grasp the biomedical, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions of patient care and to seek help for both the patient and themselves when needed. The program concluded with certificates being distributed by IPM, a WHO Collaborating Centre for community participation in palliative care and long term care.
For further information about this course, please write to Mr Saif Mohammed (Faculty, IPM) at saifsabil@gmail.com.
Update from APM’s lecture series
Report on activities in March
The Academy of Palliative Medicine’s online Lecture Series 1 presented 3 lectures in March, 2024. The current series will deliver a total of 37 lectures which will be delivered by Students of MD and DNB in Palliative Medicine from across the country and moderated by a Faculty from their respective center.
The first session for the month was an excellent presentation on ‘Strategies to balance Compassion Fatigue while supporting grieving families’, which was presented by Dr Devina Juneja and moderated by Dr Raghav Gupta. Next, the palliative care community was treated to a comprehensive presentation on ‘Biomarkers in palliative care’ presented by Dr Vasundhara Sharma and which was moderated by Dr Lekha Vijaykumar Raval. The sessions for the month concluded with an excellent presentation on ‘Non-invasive Monitoring Technologies to Identify Discomfort and Distressing Symptoms in Persons with Limited Communication at the End of Life’ presented by Dr Sanjeev Kumar and moderated by Dr Prashant Sirohiya.
There was no session on Monday, 25th March, 2024, due to festivities (Holi).
We thank our speakers and the moderators for sharing their time and expertise to enrich the knowledge of the palliative care’s community.
Sessions planned for April 2024
We invite you to join us for the lectures scheduled for April. Details below:
