Key Resources for Palliative Care Nurses
This page contains links to useful guidance documents and web pages for palliative care nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak. The development of the resource was led by Julie Goss, Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Dublin, in collaboration with AIIHPC, St James Hospital, Dublin and National University of Ireland, Galway.
1. General Covid-19 Key Information Ireland
2. International Covid-19 Information
3. Respiratory Education and Guidance
4. Palliative Care Guidance to Support Generalist and Specialist Practice
5. Palliative Medicines Information Service Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services
6. Palliative Care Local Policies Area
7. Telephone/ Video Consultations
8. Communication Resources and Videos
9. Advance Care Planning
10. Carer Resources for end of Life care at home
11. Bereavement
12. Patient Specific Groups
13. Disability Services
14. Patient and Family Community Supports
15. Children’s Palliative Care
16. Information to help with wellbeing and self-care
17. Social Media
18. Learning from COVID-19
19. References & Literature
- General Covid-19 Key Information – Ireland
HSE Hub Coronavirus Information for staff – Broad Information with links to specific areas such as Occupational health issues, GDPR, staff training
Department of Health – Ethical Framework for Decision Making in a Pandemic
COVID-19 HSE Clinical Guidance and Evidence Repository – site provides a repository of clinical guidance and latest research evidence to equip the clinical community in Ireland to respond to Covid-19.
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland Statement and Updates to Nurses and Midwives on COVID-19
HSE – Health Service Executive: COVID-19 health information and advice
Health Protection Surveillance Centre: COVID-19 advice and guidance including for healthcare workers
HSB Procurement (Health Business Services) – COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Irish Nurses & Midwifery Organisation(INMO) – COVID-19 guidance including PPE
RapidInfo4U Healthcare Repository is an initiative aiming to implement an online rapid resource repository that provides individualised support for return to practice, reassigned and new to practice, nursing and allied health professionals during these COVID-19 pandemic times.
HSE Guidance for care of the deceased person during the COVID-19 pandemic (Link)
2. International Covid-19 Information
iHealthFacts – Health claims – Fact checked
COVID-19: Chief Nursing Officer News Updates for Nursing & Midwifery across Northern Ireland
Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) – COVID-19 Resources
European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) – Coronavirus and the palliative care response
Centre to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) COVID-19 Responses Resources (US)
Public Health England – COVID-19 resources (UK)
International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care – Resources relevant to Palliative Care and COVID-19
- Respiratory Education and Guidance
NHS Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Respiratory Care and Assessment online course
British Thoracic Society – COVID-19: information for the respiratory community
Irish Thoracic Society COVID19 Information Links
Health Protection Surveillance Centres (HPSC) Aerosol Generating Procedures
European Lung Foundation – Covid Hospital Factsheets for patients
- Palliative Care Guidance to Support Generalist and Specialist Practice
Macmillan Cancer Support guidance for people with cancer, Macmillan supporters and our volunteers
Guidance on Control of COVID-19 in Specialist Palliative Care 4 In-patient Units – National Guidance Document
Irish Hospice Foundation – Care & Inform Hub – Resources for healthcare workers
Cicely Saunders Institute – Managing breathlessness at home during the COVID-19 outbreak PDF
National Clinical Programme for Palliative Care, HSE:
- Cover Letter
- Anticipatory prescribing in the last hours or days of life
- Syringe pump prescribing in the last hours or days of life
- Non-Pharmacological Care in the Last Hours or Days of Life
- Management of severe breathlessness in the Last Hours or Days of Life
- Prescribing regular subcutaneous medications in last hours or days of life
- Recognising dying in the last hours or days of life
Additional document for carers and families:
The Palliative Hub – Professional (AIIHPC) – National Palliative Care Guidelines
NHS Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines
Irish Hospice Foundation End of Life Care Toolkit for Residential Care
ScotPalCovid – Use of T34 syringe pumps during Covid 19: Scot pal covid
- Palliative Medicines Information Service Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services
OLH Opioid Transdermal Patches Quick Reference Guide
OLH Opioids—Changing Routes of Administration
OLH Oramorph for Breathlessness Patient Information Leaflet
- Palliative Care Local Policies Area
Last Days of Life Nursing Care Plan – Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services (this may require customisation for individual / local services)
- Telephone/ Video Consultations
British Journal of Healthcare Management – A brief guide to telephone medical consultation
HSE: Virtual Health Hub – National COVID-19 Telehealth Steering Committee has approved the solutions contained within this webpage, made available during the pandemic, to support communication and collaboration across the health service
National Healthcare Communication Programme – Telephone Communications ‘Calgary-Cambridge Communication Guide’
British Journal of General Practice Ten Tips For Telephone Consultations About Covid-19
British Journal of General Practice Video Consultations: A Guide For Practice
mSurgery Open Online Course – Communication Skills for Telephone Consultations
- Communication Resources and Videos
National Health Care Communication Programme: Communication Guide for Difficult Conversations
Respecting Choices (US) – COVID 19 communication skills and ACP – video
VitalTalk (US) – COVID-19 Ready Communication Skills
COVID-19 Conversation Topic – visual images to support effective communication
NHS Education for Scotland – Delivering the news of a death by telephone
Effective Communication for Healthcare (Scotland) – COVID-19: Effective communication for professionals – talking with people and families about planning care, death and dying including A4 Guide
Irish Hospice Foundation Video: Delivering Bad News Covid 19 update
Irish Hospice Foundation – Supporting the patient with Covid at end of life
Real Talk: Evidence based advice about difficult conversations
mSurgery Open Online Course – Communication Skills for Telephone Consultations
mSurgery Open Online Courses – Video consultations
- Advance Care Planning
Irish Hospice Foundation Think Ahead: Planning For Dying, Death, Loss And Care
Dr Mark Taubert (Wales) How to start a conversation for health care providers – CPR and DNACPR Discussion – You tube
Irish Hospice Foundation: Advance Care Planning for Health and Social Care Professionals
- Carer Resources for end of Life care at home
Family Carers Ireland – offering family carers free counselling sessions. Family Carers Ireland offer help to family carers, as they believe no one should have to care alone. They have developed a free, short-term online and phone counselling service for family carers, and will connect carers with a qualified counsellor from a panel of approved professionals. The service can be accessed through the website or through the National Freephone Careline on 1800 24 07 24.
St Francis Hospice: Managing Anxiety at Home During Covid Document
Family Carers Ireland – Emergency Care Plan
Hospice UK Caring for your dying relative at home with COVID-19 Webpage / Document
TILDA (Ireland) – list of community supports to help those at home amidst the #Covid19 crisis
- Bereavement
Irish Hospice Foundation, in conjunction with the HSE, has set up a new National Bereavement Support Line to provide connection, comfort and support to those grieving in these exceptional times. It is a freephone service and will be open from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday, starting from today, Tuesday 9 June 2020.
The number to call is 1800 80 70 77. Please find more information here.COVID Care and Inform (Irish Hospice Foundation) – information resources and videos on the themes of Grief, Funerals in Exceptional Times, Planning Ahead and resources for Healthcare Professionals.
- Support & Advice on Grief & Loss
- Resources for Healthcare Professionals
- Planning Ahead
- Latest Research & Information
Cruse Bereavement Care: Coronavirus: dealing with bereavement and grief
NHS Education for Scotland – Bereavement Video Wall for Professionals
- Patient Specific Groups
HSE – Information on COVID-19 coronavirus for cancer patients and their families/carers
Alzheimer Society of Ireland – Covid-19 Update
Mount Sinai Health System COVID 19 YouTube channel
HSE COVID-19 web page for staff working in residential care settings
- Disability Services
COVID-19 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communications Resources – For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, communicating in a health setting such as a busy clinic or ward situation can be difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic and the necessity for many healthcare staff to wear face masks have made communication even more difficult, especially for people who may rely on lip-reading. The Irish Deaf Society and Chime, in partnership with the HSE, have prepared resources for use by Healthcare workers and people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These can be found here and include guidelines for staff, communication supports and videos in Irish Sign Language.
HSE Approved Guidance See section ‘HSE Approved Guidance for Disability Services’ These guidance documents have been developed by the HSE in collaboration with service providers in the voluntary sector. They have been approved by the HSE’s Vulnerable Person’s Group.
Beyond Words – When someone dies from coronavirus: a guide for families and carers
The Psychological Society of Ireland – COVID-19 Resource
Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, Professor of Intellectual Disability and Palliative Care – Blog Coronavirus and people with intellectual disabilities
- Patient and Family Community Supports
St Francis Hospice: Managing Anxiety at Home During Covid Document
Covid-19 Community Call – Department of Rural and Community Development:
- Local Authority Helpline Numbers and Email Addresses
- Further Information on Community Call
- The Community Call – Advice & Contact Information for Your County
HSE – Restricted Movement and Self Isolation Guidance
TILDA – list of community supports to help those at home amidst the #Covid19 crisis
Mental Health Services details – HSE
How to protect against fraud and generate trust – Department of Rural and Community Development
Advice for Vulnerable People – Department of Rural and Community Development
Care Alliance Ireland Facebook online support group
- Children’s Palliative Care
PELiCaN Network Paediatric End of Life Care Network- Guidance Documents
- Information to help with wellbeing and self-care
Free online toolkit to help nurses with mental health. The Nursing Minds toolkit is a free, online tool designed by nurses for nurses through support from the Burdett Trust for Nursing. It highlights resources nurses can access before or during difficult times (Link)
Silver Cloud Health is providing free access to three self-directed online programmes. The mental health programmes that are available are:
(i) dealing with stress
(ii) building resilience
(iii) and improving your sleep
Go to: https://hse.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/ Once on the website, complete the sign-up process and enter the access code HSE2020 when prompted to do so.
National Gallery of Ireland – Mindfulness and Art (mindfulness online tours of the gallery)
The Sanctuary – free on-line mediations sessions via zoom 3 times weekly
Breathworks UK The Quiet Place: Calming mindfulness practices for stressed healthcare workers
Yoga for Uncertain Times – 34 videos
Ten Percent Happier – Coronavirus Sanity Guide (FREE) for healthcare workers including access to meditation and podcasts
Covid-19 Stats | Ireland – Giver Back – Directory of free products / services available during COVID-19
- Social Media
Hashtags to follow on Twitter #pallicovid #palliatecoronavirus
- Learning from COVID-19
Reinventing Palliative Care Delivery
Lessons learnt from caring for patients with Covid-19 at the end of life
What palliative care can learn from the Covid-19 pandemic (editorial)
Lessons from the first wave (BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care blog)
Crossed communication wires: a Covid-19 ward experience (BMJ SPC blog)
Beyond the mask: a multidisciplinary reflection on palliating patients with Covid
Goals of care in a pandemic: our experience and recommendations
Online learning and teaching reflections – University of Hertfordshire
- References & Literature
Managing the supportive care needs of those affected by COVID-19 European Respiratory Journal
Palliative care and COVID – 19 Prof David Clarke University of Glasgow (FYI Prof Clarke has since retired – this post was written in March)
Palliative Care in the Time of COVID – the Ink Vessel –
Covid-19: Decision making and palliative care (Swiss Medical Weekly)
Better End of Life 2021 Report – Dying, death and bereavement during Covid-19 Research Report (April 2021) – The report shows how palliative and end of life care in the UK was compromised by shortages of PPE, essential medicines, and equipment, because these services were not seen as ‘frontline NHS’ in the pandemic.