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A l B l C l D l E l F G l H l I l J l K l L l M l N O l P l Q l R l S l T l U l V l W l X l Y l Z

A
Advance care planning

About advance care planning
A guide from Respecting Patient Choices
FAQs – Information about advance care planning for the general public 
For consumers. From Respecting Patient Choices
Choosing whether to have treatment
A pamphlet for consumers. From Kidney Health Australia

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

State by state information about advance care planning 
From the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners website
FAQs - Medicolegal information on advance care planning 
From Respecting Patient Choices website

See also
Communication
Non-malignant diseases
Prognosis

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Aged

Medical Care of Older Persons in Residential Aged Care 
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioner's Silver Book
Pain in Residential Aged Care  - Management Strategies
Resources from the Australian Pain Society including Implementation Kit
Guidelines for a Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care 
National Health and Medical Research Council's endorsed Australian guidelines
Factsheet on Guidelines for a Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care 
From Palliative Care Australia  

Palliative care for specific populations
From Australian Family Physician
Dignity and the challenge of dying in nursing homes: the residents’ view
From Age and Ageing
Raising the standards for elderly people dying in care homes 
From Gold Standards Framework – reprinted from European Journal of Palliative Care
Dying in Older Age -  reflections and experiences from an older person’s perspective 
From Help the Aged (UK) website

Pain assessment in the cognitively impaired
From EPERC Fast Facts
Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia - PAINAD Scale 
Validated tool for use in dementia
Abbey Pain scale 
From Dementia Care Australia. To assess pain in the patient who is cognitively impaired or unable to communicate verbally

Comprehensive Medical Assessments 
From Eastern Sydney Division of General Practice - Aged Care Initiative
Post-discharge home medicines review for older patients
From the Repatriation General Hospital's Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Medicare & Residential Aged Care Facilities ‘A Reference for GPs’
Resource for GPs on Medicare, billing and other processes in managing care in aged care facilities produced by NSW Central West Division of General Practice

Information about grief and bereavement after dementia 
From the Queensland Alzheimer’s Disease Association

See also
Cognitive impairment
Residential aged care

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Ascites

Palliative treatment of malignant ascites
From EPERC Fast Facts
How to : Perform an ascitic tap 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

See also
Bowel obstruction

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Assessment tools

Needs Assessment Tool for Progressive Disease - Cancer
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology 
The PEPSICOLA aide memoire  
A palliative care monthly review checklist from Gold Standards Framework website

The modified Karnofsky scale
For assessing performance state and prognosis in advanced disease
Validation of the Australian-modified  Karnofsky Performance Scale
From BMC Palliative Care
The ECOG score
For assessing performance state and prognosis in advanced cancer 
Summary of prognostic tools commonly used in palliative care  
From Gold Standards Framework (UK)

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

Initial pain assessment tool
For documenting sites and types of pain in the clinical record, from Gold Standards Framework (UK)
Pain - Numeric Rating Scale
A simple validated pain assessment tool. From National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

Abbey Pain scale 
To assess pain in the patient who is cognitively impaired or unable to communicate verbally
Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia - PAINAD Scale 
Validated tool for use in dementia

Symptom review  - SAS
The standard symptom assessment tool used in Australian palliative care services. Assesses 7 core symptoms
Symptom review - Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale
Used for a more extensive assessment of physical and psychological problems

Delirium – Confusion Assessment  Method (CAM) 
Validated screening tool for delirium From Promoting Excellence website
Delirium – Nursing Delirium Screening Scale NuDESC 
Validated screening tool for inclusion as part of the nursing assessment of palliative care in-patients 

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B
Bereavement

Commonly asked questions about grief
From the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement website
Now what? Understanding grief
Booklet from Palliative Care Australia

Suffering, loss and grief in palliative care 
From Australian Family Physician
Guidance for bereavement needs assessment in palliative care
From Help the Hospices (UK).  Scroll down to follow the link to the PDF
Survey of bereavement support provided by Australian palliative care services
From MJA 
Mortality after hospitalization of a spouse 
From New England Journal of Medicine
A systematic review of the literature on complicated grief
Commonwealth funded report, 2006

Understanding children’s grief 
From the Bereavement Care Centre, NSW
The Club No One Wants to Join : A Dozen Lessons I've Learned from Grieving Children and Adolescents 
Information about child and adolescent bereavement from Grief Matters
Bereavement information about the death of a child 
From the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Information parents, siblings, grandparents, and schools

Grief and loss - Issues in remote Aboriginal communities
From Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association Reference Manual

Information about grief and bereavement after dementia 
From the Queensland Alzheimer’s Disease Association 

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Bleeding

Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician
Bleeding and haemorrhage
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Massive haemorrhage
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Practice guidelines
From Canadian Virtual Hospice website

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Bowel obstruction

Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician
Bowel obstruction 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Practice guidelines 
From Canadian Virtual Hospice website

See also
Nausea and vomiting
Symptom management

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C
Carers

Needs Assessment Tool for Progressive Disease - Cancer
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology 
Palliative Care Needs Assessment Guidelines Summary
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology

“What can I say, what can I do”
An information brochure for families and friends from Palliative Care Australia
A journey lived 
A booklet of carers’ stories from Palliative Care Australia
Looking after yourself
A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria
Family matters
Information about coping with family stress from the National Cancer Institute website, USA
Resources for carers 
A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria

Commonwealth CareLink Centre 
For respite for carers

The process of dying 
A brochure for caregivers from Palliative Care Victoria
What to do when someone dies 
A brochure for caregivers from Palliative Care Victoria

Claim forms to help you after someone has died
From CentreLink
What are an executor’s responsibilities? 
From the Bereavement Care Centre, NSW

Palliative care and caregiver outcomes 
From BMC Palliative Care
Mortality after hospitalization of a spouse 
From New England Journal of Medicine
The hardest thing we have ever done
A report on the social impact of caregiving in Australia, from Palliative Care Australia

See also
Bereavement
Family issues

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Case conferencing

EPC  Multidisciplinary Case Conferences information and item numbers
Information from Medicare Benefits Scheme Online
How to set up case conferencing  
From North West Melbourne Division of General Practice
Promoting patient centred palliative care through case conferencing
Article from Australian Family Physician
Medicare & Residential Aged Care Facilities ‘A Reference for GPs’
Resource for GPs on Medicare, billing and other processes in managing care in aged care facilities produced by NSW Central West Division of General Practice

See also
Medicare information

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Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy: response and survival data   
From EPERC Fast Facts
Palliative chemotherapy
From EPERC Fast Facts

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Children

Palliative care for specific populations
From Australian Family Physician

Resources for pain and symptom management in children
From the World Health Organization
Barriers to paediatric palliative care
From Pediatrics
Paediatric pain assessment scales 
From EPERC Fast Facts

Bereavement information about the death of a child 
From the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne -  relates to parents, siblings, grandparents, and schools

Understanding children’s grief 
From the Bereavement Care Centre, NSW
Talk to patients’ young children
When a parent is dying
   
From Canadian Family Physician
Supporting a bereaved child  
Download a guide for professionals from Winston’s Wish website, UK
The Club No One Wants to Join : A Dozen Lessons I've Learned from Grieving Children and Adolescents 
Information about child and adolescent bereavement from Grief Matters

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Cognitively impaired

Prognostication in dementia
From EPERC Fast Facts

Pain assessment in the cognitively impaired
From EPERC Fast Facts
Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia - PAINAD Scale
Validated tool for use in dementia
Abbey Pain scale 
To assess pain in the patient who is cognitively impaired or unable to communicate verbally. From Dementia Care Australia

Information about grief and bereavement after dementia 
From the Queensland Alzheimer’s Disease Association

See also
Aged
Residential aged care

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Communication

“Asking questions can help”
A question prompt list. From Palliative Care Australia
“What can I say, what can I do” 
An information brochure for families and friends. From Palliative Care Australia
Palliative care information in other languages
Information brochures in community languages. From Palliative Care Australia

Frontline psychosocial support 
Video training module about responding to a cancer patient experiencing acute distress. From Cancer Learning website
Talking to patients about death and dying  
From Australian Family Physician
Teams: Communication in Multidisciplinary Care
Discussion on communication in cancer from The Oncologist
Communicating prognosis and end of life issues…  
Guidelines published in the Medical Journal of Australia

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

The National Relay Service
For people with speech and/or hearing difficulty
Books Beyond Words  
Information for people with learning or literacy problems -  has titles that address death and dying, and living with cancer.  Can be ordered online from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

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Coroner reportability 

The coronial process
National Coroner's Information System

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D
Delirium

Confusion and terminal restlessness 
An information brochure for carers from Palliative Care Victoria website

Delirium – Confusion Assessment  Method (CAM)  
Validated screening tool for delirium
Delirium – Nursing Delirium Screening Scale NuDESC 
Validated screening tool for inclusion as part of the nursing assessment of palliative care in-patients 

Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician
Delirium and confusion 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

Terminal agitation
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

Practice guidelines
From Canadian Virtual Hospice website

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Distress

Frontline psychosocial support
Video training module about responding to a cancer patient experiencing acute distress. From Cancer Learning website
Fear of death
From The Oncologist

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

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Dyspnoea

Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician
Dyspnoea 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
SVC obstruction 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

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E

Emergencies

Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician  

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End of life care

The process of dying 
A brochure for caregivers. From Palliative Care Victoria website
What to do when someone dies 
A brochure for caregivers. From Palliative Care Victoria website
Confusion and terminal restlessness 
An information brochure for carers. From Palliative Care Victoria website

End of life care pathway 
An example of a primary care pathway. From the Central Coast Palliative Care Service, NSW
Patient summary of treatment recommendations near the end of life 
From the American College of Physicians

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

Benzodiazepines in end of life care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin

Issues in end of life care in psychiatric institutions
From International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation

End of life care in cardiopulmonary diseases 
From Chest

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F
Family issues

Needs Assessment Tool for Progressive Disease - Cancer
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology 
Palliative Care Needs Assessment Guidelines Summary
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology

A journey lived 
A booklet of carers’ stories from Palliative Care Australia
Family matters
Information about coping with family stress from the National Cancer Institute website, USA

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

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 G
General information about palliative care

What is palliative care? 
An information brochure for the community. From Palliative Care Australia
About palliative care 
 A booklet for consumers. From Palliative Care Victoria website
Patient rights and responsibilities 
An information brochure for patients. From Palliative Care Australia
Palliative care
A page for patients. From JAMA

Attitudes and barriers to involvement in palliative care by Australian urban general practitioners
Article from Journal of Palliative Medicine
Palliative care: Promoting general practice participation
Article from MJA
Palliative care at home: general practitioners working with palliative care teams
Article from MJA
Information on the palliative approach in Australia
A brochure for international medical graduates from the Rural Palliative Care Program, Ballarat 
GPs caring for haematology patients
From Australian Family Physician

Definition of palliative care   
From the World Health Organisation
Standards for providing quality palliative care 
An information brochure from Palliative Care Australia
Relationships between specialist palliative care services and primary care  
A fact sheet from Palliative Care Australia

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H
HIV/AIDS

Palliative Care and HIV
Online chapter from the Clinical Manual for Management of the HIV-Infected Adult.  From the AETC National Resource Center
Palliative Care of Patients with HIV
From HIV InSite, University of California, San Francisco, USA.

 

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Home
 


Homeless

Dying on the streets
From Journal of General Internal Medicine 
The Homeless Handbook – A Medical Guide 
For careworkers of marginalised and homeless people. From Melbourne Division of General Practice

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Hope

Dignity and the essence of medicine: the A, B, C, and D of dignity conserving care
Article from BMJ
Management of hope
Article from Canadian Family Physician

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Hospital

CPR survival in the hospital setting
From EPERC Fast Facts

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 I
Indigenous 

Palliative care for specific populations
From Australian Family Physician
Going home to country – a pamphlet about koori palliative care   
From Palliative Care Victoria 
Providing culturally appropriate palliative care to indigenous Australians
A resource kit from the National Palliative Care Program
Pain management in Aboriginal health
From Rural and Remote Health

Grief and loss in remote indigenous communities  
From Central Australian Rural Practitioners Association

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Intellectual disability

When my Dad died 
From Learning about intellectual disabilities and health website, UK
Bereavement in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities 
From Learning about intellectual disabilities and health website, UK
Managing grief better
From Learning about intellectual disabilities and health website, UK
Books Beyond Words  
Information for people with learning or literacy problems - has titles that address death and dying, and living with cancer.  Can be ordered online from the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Palliative Care In People With Congenital Or Acquired Intellectual Disability
Report from Centre for Disability Studies, University of Sydney

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Interventional modalities for pain

Interventional techniques for cancer pain
Radiotherapy in cancer pain
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for cancer pain
Fact sheets developed by the International Association for the Study of Pain for 2008–2009 Global Year Against Cancer Pain
Radiotherapy basics for GPs
From Canadian Family Physician
Epidural and intrathecal analgesia  
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

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 M
Medicare information

Medicare items - helping you deliver comprehensive cancer care
A summary from CanNet
General information on Medicare
From Medicare Australia
Medicare & Residential Aged Care Facilities ‘A Reference for GPs’
Resource for GPs on Medicare, billing and other processes in managing care in aged care facilities produced by NSW Central West Division of General Practice
Enhanced Primary Care Program (EPC)
From Department of Health and Ageing

How to set up case conferencing  
From North West Melbourne Division of General Practice
Post-discharge home medicines review for older patients
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin

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Medications

Patient held medication chart   
Sample chart for patients. From Palliative Care Australia
Understanding side effects of medicines 
Factsheet for patients. From Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Information for consumers from the National Prescribing Service

Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: Palliative care listing
Provides information on specific preparations and preparations that may be prescribed in larger quantities for palliative care patients
National Prescribing Service
Provides medications information for both consumers and health professionals
Palliative Medicine Handbook
An online palliative care formulary. Click on Notes on Prescribing for detailed symptom management advice for specific symptoms.
Using medicines beyond their license 
Information from the British Pain Society
Managing co morbidities at the end of life
Article from the BMJ
Essential drugs in palliative care
From Australian Family Physician
Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag
From Australian Family Physician 

Paracetamol – a question of dose
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Benzodiazepines in end of life care 
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Nausea in palliative care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Corticosteroids in palliative care 
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin

Subcutaneous opioid infusions  
From EPERC Fast Facts
Opioid infusions in the imminently dying patient 
From EPERC Fast Facts

See also
Opioids
Prescribing in palliative care
Symptom management
Or sections on specific symptoms 

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Multicultural

Multicultural Palliative Care Guidelines
From Palliative Care Council of South Australia
Getting to know your medicines - Multilingual resources
For consumers. From the National Prescribing Service

Cultural diversity at the End of Life: Issues and guidelines for family physicians
Article from American Family Physician

Improving the use of translating and interpreting services
From Victorian Government

Pain assessment tool in multiple languages
From the British Pain Society
Cross cultural care resources
From Royal Australian College of General Practitioners website  

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 N
Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting
An information brochure for consumers. From Palliative Care Victoria

Nausea in palliative care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Opioids and nausea
From EPERC Fast Facts
Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician

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Non-malignant conditions

“Palliative care beyond cancer: Care for all at the end of life” 
From  BMJ
Palliative care in non-malignant diseases 
From Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
Managing co morbidities at the end of life
Article from the BMJ

Overview of prognostication in non-malignant diseases
From Gold Standards Framework, UK
GPs’ attitudes to discussing prognosis in COPD 
From Family Practice

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

Choosing whether to have treatment
A pamphlet for consumers. From Kidney Health Australia

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 O
Ongoing education
New South Wales
University of Sydney, Pain Management Research Institute (online course)

  • Graduate Certificate in Pain Management
  • Graduate Diploma in Pain Management
  • Master of Pain Management
  • Master (Honours) of Pain Management

Queensland
University of Queensland (online course)

  • Graduate Certificate in Health Studies, Chronic and Palliative Care
  • Graduate Diploma in Health Studies, Chronic and Palliative Care
  • Master of Health Studies, Chronic and Palliative Care

South Australia
Flinders University of South Australia (online course, with on campus intensives in some topics)

  • Graduate Certificate in Health (Palliative Care)
  • Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care
  • Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care
  • Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Master of Palliative Care in Aged Care
  • Master of Palliative Care
  • Master of Science (Palliative Care)

University of Adelaide

  • Graduate Certificate in Grief and Palliative Care Counselling
  • Diploma in Grief and Palliative Care Counselling
  • Masters in Grief and Palliative Care Counselling

Victoria
University of Melbourne (online or on campus)

  • Specialists Certificate in Palliative Care
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Medicine
  • Master of Public Health (by Coursework)
  • Master of Public Health (by Research)

Western Australia
Edith Cowan University (online course)

  • Certificate of Palliative Medicine
  • Diploma of Palliative Medicine
  • Master of Palliative Medicine

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Opioids

Opioid pharmacology 
Overview from IAHPC Manual of Palliative Care
A step-by-step guide to pain control 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

Analgesic choices 
NPS Prescribing practice review
Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician

Online opioid dose calculator
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

Opioid Medication in Palliative Care
Online education for GPs from Palliative Care Australia
Cancer Pain Release  
Evidence based online resources and references about pain management in palliative care from the World Health Organization

Pain and pain management 
A brochure for patients. From Palliative Care Victoria
Facts about morphine and other opioid medicines in palliative care 
Brochure for consumers. From Palliative Care Australia

From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

Morphine resistant pain 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

Epidural and intrathecal analgesia  
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
 
From National Prescribing Service Radar

Fear of addiction 
From WHO Cancer Pain Release

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 P
Pain

Overcoming Cancer Pain - A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends  
Booklet for patients and families. From the Cancer Council of NSW
Sample pain diary 
For patients and families. From Palliative Care Australia
Facts about morphine and other opioid medicines in palliative care 
Brochure for consumers. From Palliative Care Australia
Pain and pain management 
For patients and families. From Palliative Care Victoria

Initial pain assessment tool 
For documenting sites and types of pain in the clinical record,  from Gold Standards Framework
Pain - Numeric Rating Scale 
A simple validated pain assessment tool
Pain assessment tool in multiple languages
From the British Pain Society
Pain assessment in the cognitively impaired
From EPERC Fast Facts
Abbey Pain Scale
Used for measuring pain in those who cannot verbalise
Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia - PAINAD Scale
Validated tool for use in dementia
Paediatric pain assessment scales 
From EPERC Fast Facts

Pain management in palliative care 
From Australian Family Physician   
Cancer pain in palliative care
From Australian Doctor, 2009 (How to Treat Section)
Pain in Residential Aged Care 
Guidelines from the Australian Pain Society
Paracetamol – a question of dose
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Cancer Pain Release  
Evidence based online resources and references about pain management in palliative care from the World Health Organization

Neuropathic pain  
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Morphine resistant pain 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Epidural and intrathecal analgesia  
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Radiotherapy basics for GPs
From Canadian Family Physician
Until the chemist opens: palliation from the doctor’s bag  
From Australian Family Physician 

IASP Pain Factsheets
Fact sheets developed by the International Association for the Study of Pain for 2008–2009 Global Year Against Cancer Pain
Breast cancer and pain
Cancer pain in children
Interventional techniques for cancer pain
Lung cancer and pain
Total cancer pain
Radiotherapy in cancer pain
Prostate cancer and malignant bone pain
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for cancer pain
Mechanisms of cancer pain
Epidemiology of cancer pain
Assessment of cancer pain
Cancer pain treatment
Pharmacological management of cancer pain           
Barriers to cancer pain treatment
Treatment-related pain
Cancer pain in older people 
Partners and caregivers of cancer patients having pain
Psychological aspects of cancer pain
Psychosocial interventions for cancer pain
Pain and symptom management in the final days of life
 

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Performance state

The modified Karnofsky scale 
For assessing performance state and prognosis in advanced disease
The ECOG score
For assessing performance state and prognosis in advanced cancer
Determining prognosis in advanced cancer
From EPERC Fast Facts  

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Pleural effusions

Malignant pleural effusions: interventional management
From EPERC Fast Facts
How to : Perform a pleural tap
From Palliative Medicine Handbook

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Prescribing in palliative care

Palliative Medicine Handbook
An online palliative care formulary. Click on Notes on Prescribing for detailed symptom management advice for specific symptoms.
PBS information for prescribers   
From the Department of Health and Ageing
Information on Palliative Care Listings
Factsheet from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme 
Australian Special Access Scheme 
From the Repatriation General Hospital Pharmacy E-Bulletin, describes the arrangements by which unapproved palliative care drugs are able to be accessed
Schedule 8 Drugs
From the Repatriation General Hospital Pharmacy E-Bulletin

Understanding side effects of medicines 
Factsheet for consumers. From Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Generic medicines are an equal choice
Consumer campaign. From National Prescribing Service

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Prognosis

Summary of prognostic tools commonly used in palliative care  
From Gold Standards Framework, UK 
GPs’ attitudes to discussing prognosis in COPD
From Family Practice

End of Life Palliative Education Resource Centre
Produces factsheets including:

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Psychiatric issues

Issues in end of life care in psychiatric institutions
From International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Psychiatric problems in HIV    
From A Clinical Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care in HIV/AIDS, Department of Human Services and Resources Administration, US
Treatment of depression in cancer 
From Ontario’s Program in  Evidence Based Care
Panic disorder at end-of-life
From EPERC Fast Facts
Substance use disorders in the palliative care patient
From EPERC Fast Facts

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 R
Referral

FAQs about referring patients for palliative care  
From Palliative Care Victoria

Needs Assessment Tool for Progressive Disease - Cancer
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology 
Palliative Care Needs Assessment Guidelines Summary
From Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology

National Palliative Care Service Directory   
For consumers and health professionals. From Palliative Care Australia

General practitioners’ use of palliative care services
From BMC Palliative Care
Relationships between specialist palliative care services and primary care  
For consumers and health professionals. A fact sheet from Palliative Care Australia

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Residential aged care

Dignity and the challenge of dying in nursing homes: the residents’ view
From Age and Ageing
Raising the standards for elderly people dying in care homes 
From Gold Standards Framework – reprinted from European Journal of Palliative Care

Medical Care of Older Persons in Residential Aged Care
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Silver Book
Pain in Residential Aged Care  - Management Strategies
Resources from the Australian Pain Society including Implementation Kit
Guidelines for a Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care 
National Health and Medical Research Council's endorsed Australian guidelines
Factsheet on Guidelines for a Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care 
From Palliative Care Australia 
Medicare & Residential Aged Care Facilities ‘A Reference for GPs’
Resource for GPs on Medicare, billing and other processes in managing care in aged care facilities produced by NSW Central West Division of General Practice

Pain assessment in the cognitively impaired
From EPERC Fast Facts
Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia - PAINAD Scale 
Validated tool for use in dementia
Abbey Pain scale 
From Dementia Care Australia. To assess pain in the patient who is cognitively impaired or unable to communicate verbally

About online education for GPs – Palliative care in aged care homes 
A factsheet from Palliative Care Australia

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Rural and remote

Rural Palliative Care Program
National initiative being led by the Australian General Practice Network
Rural Health Education Foundation
Provides education on palliative care
Improving the quality of palliative care in regional Toowoomba
Article in Rural and Remote Health

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 S
Seizures

Convulsions and seizures
From  Palliative Medicine Handbook
Practice guidelines  
From Canadian Virtual Hospice website

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Self care for clinicians

RACGP Healthy Doctor Initiatives 
Information about peer support programs from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Doctors’ health – State-based  programs 
From the Australian Medical Association
The conspiracy of silence: Emotional health amongst medical practitioners 
A literature review from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Confronting personal mortality 
From EPERC Fast Facts
Professional patient boundaries in palliative care
From EPERC Fast Facts

Learning to cope  
From The Oncologist’s Schwarz Center Rounds. Discussion about how doctors cope with the deaths of their patients, and the costs and consequences of different coping strategies
Hope
From The Oncologist’s Schwarz Center Rounds.  Discussion about the challenges of maintaining hope – for both doctors and patients – when working with patients dying of cancer

Report on prevalence and predictors of burnout in oncology
From Cancer Institute NSW, COSA and CHERP

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Spinal cord compression

Spinal cord compression
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Practice guidelines 
From Canadian Virtual Hospice
Metastatic spinal cord compression – quick reference guide 
Guidelines from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, UK
Corticosteroids in palliative care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin

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Spiritual care 

Ethical boundaries of spiritual care
Article from MJA
Suffering, grief and loss in palliative care
Article from Australian Family Physician

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Symptom management

Palliative Medicine Handbook
An online palliative care formulary. Click on Notes on Prescribing for detailed symptom management advice for specific symptoms.
Palliating symptoms other than pain  
From Australian Family Physician
Patient summary of treatment recommendations near the end of life 
From the American College of Physicians

Nausea in palliative care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Dyspnoea 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
SVC obstruction
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Bowel obstruction 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Delirium and confusion 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Terminal agitation 
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Bleeding and haemorrhage
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Massive haemorrhage
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Spinal cord compression
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Metastatic spinal cord compression – quick reference guide 
Guidelines from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, UK
Convulsions and seizures
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Radiotherapy basics for GPs 
From Canadian Family Physician

Fatigue and exhaustion
An information brochure for consumers. From Palliative Care Victoria
Nausea and vomiting
An information brochure for consumers. From Palliative Care Victoria
Nutrition in palliative care
An information brochure for carers. From Palliative Care Victoria
Anorexia in advanced illness
An information brochure for patients and families. From Palliative Care Victoria
Confusion and terminal restlessness 
An information brochure for carers. From Palliative Care Victoria

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Syringe drivers

Syringe Driver Management In Palliative Care  
Online education module on syringe driver management from the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education
Subcutaneous opioid infusions 
From EPERC Fast Facts
Opioid infusions in the imminently dying patient 
From EPERC Fast Facts
Benzodiazepines in end of life care
From the RGH Pharmacy E-Bulletin
Online calculator : Drug compatability in syringe drivers  
From Palliative Medicine Handbook
Report on subcutaneous infusion devices (May 2009 Report)
From Palliative Care Australia 

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 Y
Young carers

Online information for young carers 
From Carers Australia
Download information for young carers  
From Help the Hospices website, UK 
Young adult carers in the UK 
From the Princess Royal Trust for Carers 

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This page was created on 26 May 2009 and is due for review in May 2011.
Last updated 01 December 2009

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