Supporting adoption of the palliative approach toolkit in residential aged care: an exemplar of organisational facilitation for sustainable quality improvement

Abstract

Background: National guidelines and resources to support a palliative approach in residential aged care were designed to improve the provision of palliative and end-of-life care; however, implementation has been sporadic.

Objective: To support implementation of a palliative approach in aged care using a facilitation training model and existing palliative approach toolkit resources.

Methods: Organisation-wide educational intervention delivered by a specialised Palliative Approach Facilitator for 6 months. Training included palliative approach principles, advance care planning, clinical management, equipment use, case conferencing, care planning and self-care.

Results: The intervention included 197 internal and external staff and reviewed advanced care plans for 484 clients. Increased staff knowledge and confidence with discussions involving advance care planning, end-of-life care and supporting bereaving families resulted.

Conclusion: This targeted intervention addressed barriers to adoption of a palliative approach, representing a flexible training model for building workforce capacity, promoting quality improvement and sustaining best practice in aged care settings.

Keywords:

• palliative care
• palliative approach
• advance care planning
• end of life
• aged
• nursing
• education

Acknowledgements

The Sub Acute Healthcare Linkages in Later Years (SALLY) project was funded by the Department of Social Services under the Better Health Care Connections: Models for Short Term, More Intensive Health Care for Aged Care Recipients Program.

ORCID

Jenny Davis http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8041-4515

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Australian Government Department of Social Services [The Sub Acute Healthcare Linkages in Later Years].