Tools for nurses in palliative care

Useful CareSearch resources for nurses

CareSearch tools and checklists for nurses

The following forms, checklists and tools have been developed or reproduced by CareSearch/palliAGED to assist you in providing palliative care. These may be downloaded for free.

Assessment

• Interactive SPICT Tool (298kb pdf)
• Interactive SPICT-4ALL Tool (299kb pdf)
• Needs Assessment Tool for Carers of people with a Chronic Condition (NAT-CC) form (363kb pdf)
• Needs Assessment Tool for Carers of People with Advanced Cancer (NAT-C) (342kb pdf)
  
  

Planning care

• Communication Starters for difficult conversations (122kb pdf)
• The palliAGEDnurse app
• The palliAGED case conference forms:
• Using the palliAGED conference forms (66kb pdf)
• Case Conference Checklist - home care (407kb pdf)
• Case Conference Checklist - residential care (403kb pdf)
• Invitation to attend a case conference - GPs (179kb pdf)
• Confirmation of a case conference - GPs (173kb pdf)
• Information for you and your family - What is palliative care and why do you need a case conference (151kb pdf)
• Invitation for you and your family (185kb pdf)
• Confirmation for You and Your Family (185kb pdf)
• Staff Communication Sheet (142kb pdf)
• Palliative Care Case Conference Summary - Home Care (228kb pdf)
• Palliative Care Case Conference Summary - Residential Care (218kb pdf)

Clinical decisions

• Abbey Pain scale (1.05MB pdf)
• Delirium – Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) Tool (1.93MB pdf)
  
  

The dying patient

• Checklist for a Home Death (237kb pdf)
• Medicines for terminal care from the PBS Prescriber's bag (147kb pdf)
  
  

Supporting families

• What is palliative care? (166kb pdf)
• Palliative Care Support for Patients, Carers, and Families (6.17MB pdf)
• Emergency Contact List (49kb pdf)
• Medicines List (116kb pdf)
• Information about case conferences and palliative care (151kb pdf)
• Self-Care for carers (206kb pdf)
• Break through pain medication diary (1.76MB pdf)
• Interactive SPICT-4ALL Tool (298kb pdf)
  
  

Remuneration

• MBS items for Nurse Practitioners (165kb pdf)
  
  

To share with interdisciplinary team members as appropriate

• MBS items for General Practitioners for patients in primary health care (200kb pdf)
• MBS items for General Practitioners for patients in residential aged care (184kb pdf)
• MBS items for Allied Health professionals (223kb pdf)
• Remuneration for Community Pharmacists (148kb pdf)
• Dose Administration Aid Suitability Check - for Pharmacists (117kb pdf)
• Checklist for a Home Death (237kb pdf)
  
  

CareSearch partner projects

CareSearch partner projects have a formal agreement with CareSearch to produce or maintain content relevant to palliative care. In practical terms, these alliances allow for an expanded information and resource base with content quality and trustworthiness.

The CareSearch Partner projects are listed in the About Us section of CareSearch.

Other resources

Journals

There is an increasing number of papers relevant to palliative care being published in more diverse journals.

Getting access to journals is not always easy. Some organisations or workplaces have subscriptions, with access via hard copy or via electronic access. Nurses who are studying at university will have access via the library there. University and Hospital librarians are a great resource and can help with searching for articles.

These journals have particular relevance for palliative care nursing:

• International Journal of Palliative Nursing (UK)
• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing (US)

CareSearch has a list of Specialist Palliative Care Journals

Websites

Websites are a great source for information and resources. However, before accessing information on a website it is important to check the quality and authority with which the information is provided. Remember also that the context of care will differ from country to country.

• Palliative Care Nurses Australia (PCNA)
• Marie Curie (UK)
• Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) (US)