Abstract

Three care home educators worked across nine care homes in East, North and West Hertfordshire to provide an End of Life Care Education Programme to care homes.

496 staff took part in the education programme. (Isabel Hospice Project: 150 participants in 3 homes, Peace Hospice Project: 155 participants in 4 homes, Hospice of St Francis Project: 191 participants in 2 homes).

Each education programme although designed differently contained the same education content and themes as well as measuring the education activity and impact of that education:

• ▶ Clarification of advance care planning terminology and documentation.

• ▶ Awareness of services and team working across organizations.

• ▶ Identification of residents at the end of life.

• ▶ Symptom control and assessment.

• ▶ Communication skills.

• ▶ Cultural care.

• ▶ Manager support for the end of life ethos.

• ▶ Support in policy writing.

The education programme resulted in:

• ▶ An increase in the skills, confidence and competence of care home staff with the advance care planning process.

• ▶ Significant increase in the preferred place of care being achieved through the use of advance care planning with the residents.

The three programmes focused on identifying, developing and sustaining the care home staff skills and confidence, thus enabling proactive advance care planning in the care home setting.

This demonstrated that a flexible, learner centred and systematic approach to education can make a difference.