Integrating a Palliative Approach: Essentials for Personal Support Workers (2nd Edition)

This second edition of the text will equip frontline caregivers to respond to the changing needs of any person living with life-limiting illness and their family. You will learn best practice skills for participating fully as a vital member of the health care team. Integrating a Palliative Approach will increase your con­fidence and competence in providing compassionate palliative care for the dying person and their family by developing your capacity to: 1) integrate a palliative approach and support the person and family through decline and during last days and hours; 2) provide culturally safe palliative care that is free of systemic bias and racism; 3) understand and provide psychosocial care for the person and family; and 4) develop self-care practices to sustain you. This is a rare text that engages you with its warmth and heart—it is an essential resource for all frontline caregivers.

“Stunning artwork, accessible text, relevant case studies, and up-to-date evidence are woven together to stimulate learning and reflection about palliative care philosophy and practice.” — David Kenneth Wright, PhD, RN, CHPCN(C), Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa

“You will feel safe to explore your biases and understand Indigenous ways of knowing and being as recommended in the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.” — Sheila Blackstock, RN, BScN, MScN, COHN PhD (c), Gitxsan First Nation, Associate Teaching Professor, Thompson Rivers University School of Nursing

“The second edition of Integrating a Palliative Approach is, in fact, an essential resource for personal support workers. The book continues to be a unique resource providing comprehensive information regarding physical and psychosocial needs.” — Betty Ferrell, PhD, FAAN, FPCN Professor and Director, Nursing Research, City of Hope Medical Center; Principal Investigator, the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project

“The section on self-care, an area that students may feel they do not need to study, contains concrete information on its importance and ideas for developing a plan for self-care.” — Zola Goebel, Director, Sprott Shaw College, Lead Curriculum for Health Care Assistant curriculum

“This text is the resource for PSW education, for workplace education and independent study.” — Pippa Hawley, B.Med, FRCPC (PM) Head, UBC Division of Palliative Care, and BC Cancer Pain and Symptom Management / Palliative Care Program Medical Leader

“Kath and her team have done a wonderful job of integrating the most up-to-date frameworks for person centred care and packaged nuggets of wisdom and experience in a digestible, accessible and visually attractive package.” — Doris Barwich MD, CCFP (PC), Medical Director, British Columbia Centre for Palliative Care

“This resource directly acknowledges the valuable role of the PSW as a knowledgeable and integral member of the interprofessional team, it is a ‘must-have’ resource for all frontline caregivers seeking ways to provide excellent care for others, while nourishing their practice for personal fulfilment.” — Andrea Leatherdale, RN, BScN, GDPI, PMEd, Professor, Practical Nursing, Centennial College

“[This] edition is a beautiful balance of practical, approachable, and inspirational. The touchstones take various new competency frameworks, breaks them into easily digestible snippets and ties everything together as part of a bigger whole.” — Nadine Valk, BA, MPA, Executive Director / Directrice Générale. Champlain Hospice Palliative Care Program