Core modules

• Symptom Management in Palliative Care.

  The management of pain and other symptoms is central to good palliative care. The module will provide students with the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of effective pain and symptom relief strategies. The concept of total pain will also be considered, as will the associated notion of suffering. The module will include information on pharmacological and non-pharmacological methodologies, and will highlight the value of the inter-professional team. The module is designed for practitioners who work with palliative care patients in any clinical and/or supportive care setting. The module will be assessed by a portfolio of competencies.

• Facing Death, Patients, Families, and Professionals.

  This module aims to give students a detailed insight into the means of supporting patients, family/friends and professionals who face death. The module deals with theory related to death, loss and bereavement, and explores the counselling relationship and its relevance to patients and carers. It considers the patient's network of relationships and their dynamics. The module also analyses palliative care ethics and discusses contemporary issues in palliative care practice. The role of the multidisciplinary team in supportive palliative care is an important element. The module is assessed through an essay involving the analysis of a therapeutic conversation.