Encounter skills for palliative care in nursing homes

Palliative care refers to the active and comprehensive treatment of patients with incurable diseases. The goal of palliative care is to alleviate suffering, maintain the best possible quality of life, and provide support to both the patient and their loved ones. Palliative care requires nursing staff to have broad-based expertise, with interpersonal skills playing a significant role. Although clinical and ethical expertise form the professional basis of palliative care, it is through interaction that palliative care takes on its individual, humane, and meaningful dimension.  

Encounter skills for palliative care in nursing homes PALKO- project is based on the KOHO- project and the need that has emerged in working life to strengthen the interaction skills of palliative care workers in nursing homes. The purpose of the PALKO- project is to strengthen the palliative care interaction skills of nursing home employees. The project will strengthen the skills of nursing home staff in demanding interaction and communication situations. The development of staff skills will improve the quality of palliative care, increase customer and family satisfaction, and make care services more responsible and attractive as places of employment.

The aim of the project is to enhance the interpersonal and communication competencies of staff working in nursing homes in palliative care. The project seeks to strengthen staff members’ readiness to engage in palliative care encounters by utilizing experiential and participatory learning methods. These methods enable learning that is closely integrated into daily care practice while also deepening healthcare professionals’ understanding of the importance of meaningful encounters and effective interaction in palliative care.

The project will bring a significant improvement in the current situation, where the communication and interpersonal competencies of staff working in nursing homes vary considerably and are often insufficient. As staff members strengthen their ability to engage in meaningful encounters and to recognize the needs of patients and their families, the quality of palliative care will improve, while staff well-being and resilience at work will also be enhanced.

In addition, the project will increase staff knowledge of palliative care, enabling them to better understand its significance and holistic nature. This enhanced understanding will support the provision of person-centered, compassionate, and comprehensive care for patients with palliative care needs and their families.

Co-funded by the European Union