Scope of Palliative Care

Code:

PDCP16_1

Acronym:

ACCP

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Health Sciences

Instance: 2018/2019 - 1S (of 10-09-2018 to 10-02-2019)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Palliative Care

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
PDCP	9	Current Studies Plan	1	-	6	28	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The essential aim of the Curricular Unit of Scope of Palliative Care is that the student acquires the necessary knowledge in Palliative Care, especially in what concerns the foundation of this practice and its relation with the healthcare professions. In the plan of the concepts the aims are the acquisition and knowledge of the more representative theories in this area so that a humanist and proficient practice can be developed.

Learning outcomes and competences

With this curricular unit the student must gather the necessary skills for a responsible exercise of Palliative Care. The student must be adequately informed about the basic precepts of Palliative Care so that this practice is in accordance with the international recognised norms, principles and guidelines existing in this area.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1- Presentation of the Master Course on Palliative Care. The importance of training for an appropriate clinical performance in this emerging area of healthcare. Different levels of training in Palliative Care.

2- Palliative Care in Portugal and in other countries. History, philosophy, conceptualization, objectives and difficulties. The Hospice Movement at the United Kingdom.

3- The seminal role of Dame Cicely Saunders. The St Christopher’s Hospice – the world's first purpose-built hospice, in 1967 – founded on the principles of combining teaching and clinical research, expert pain and symptom relief with holistic care to meet the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of its patients and those of their family and friends.

4- Palliative Care as a new perspective of health and disease. The translation from Curative Medicine to Palliative Medicine. The ethics of care and its role in Palliative Care.

5- The Palliative Care in the interface with specific diseases:  

• Cancer: biology, evolution, therapeutic possibilities and its limits. The role of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Possibilities and limits of these technologies in terminal patients.
• Chronic respiratory diseases. Respiratory insufficiency: biology, evolution and end-stage disease.
• Cardiac diseases: The specificity of cardiac insufficiency: biology, evolution and end-stage disease.
• The HIV/AIDS infection: biology, evolution and end-stage disease. The singularity of the patient infected by HIV.
• Chronic degenerative neurological diseases: biology, evolution and end-stage disease.
• Chronic renal failure: biology, evolution and end-stage disease.

6- Palliative Care as an interdisciplinary endeavour. Contribution of different healthcare professions.

The syllabus is in accordance with the most important theories in the area of palliative care. In this way coherence with the curricular unit’s intended learning outcomes is demonstrated since the syllabus is a necessary condition so that the student acquires the adequate skills for a true capacitation in this area.

Mandatory literature

Addington-Hall, J.M., & Higginson, I.J.; Palliative Care for Non-cancer Patients, New York: Oxford University Press, 2001
Doyle, D.; Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004
Barbosa, A., & Neto, I.G.; Manual de Cuidados Paliativos, Lisboa: Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, 2006
Nunes, R., Rego, F., Rego, G.; Enciclopédia Luso-Brasileira de Cuidados Paliativos, Coimbra: Almedina, 2018

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching methodologies have different strategies: a) Theoretical Lectures: about different themes related to the Curricular Unit; b) Seminars: Prepared and guided discussion of specific themes, defined in advance, with the participation of professors and students; c) Group Work: Pedagogical activity of analysis and problem solving, orientated by the professors and actively prepared by the students; and d) Presentation of Case-Problems by the students.

The Continuous Assessment is performed by the responsible professor for the group of students who attend the Curricular Unit. An assessment of the whole pedagogical process and of the evolution of each student's capacities is at stake: Evolution in the communication skills, evolution of the human relation, of the regular attendance in the Curricular Unit, of the interest and participation in the pedagogic process, and, finally, of the theoretical and practical knowledge. It is possible to make use of audio-visual techniques.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	67,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Trabalho escrito	67,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

It is mandatory to attend to 75% of the scheduled activities, which, for the purpose of approval, is subject to a presence or participation verification regime.

Calculation formula of final grade

The Final Assessment of the curricular unit is made by the Continuous Assessment (50%) and a Final Examination that evaluates the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge (50%).