Advance Palliative Practice Skills (APPS)
Building on the Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care program, the Advanced Palliative Practice Skills (APPS) program allows participants to learn and develop skills and strategies for enhancing communication with the person, family, and team members; effective team functioning; self-care and relieving common end-of-life symptoms.
This course will allow learners to have an enhanced understanding and respect for the role of PSWs and Health Care Aides in providing a palliative approach to care, be able to identify opportunities and strategies around symptom management and comfort measures at end-of-life, have an enhanced understanding of loss and grief, and be comfortable with actively contributing to a team approach.
- Peer reviewed, evidence-informed and up to date course content
- Facilitation and mentorship by experienced local palliative care nurse consultants
- Successful completion of APPS prepares learners to meet the palliative care competencies for PSWs as outlined in the Ontario Palliative Care Competency Framework and Canadian Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Competency Framework
Duration: 8 weeks
Course Description/Overview:
- You will have 8 weeks to complete the course. To receive your APPS certificate, you must:
- Complete all the online learning modules for the course (readings, interactive activities, case studies, self-checks and reflection) and achieve 100% on each module quiz (approx. 18 hours)
- Attend the scheduled Culminating Session (2.5 hours)
- Curriculum Topics include:
- Roles in caregiving, therapeutic communication, self-care, considering advance care planning, ethics, grief and loss, tools for symptom management, tools for symptom management with a focus on pain, psychological and spiritual issues, skin care, the dying process, after death care, and bereavement
- Cumulating Session will provide case-based learning opportunities for applying knowledge and skills to practice
- Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care Program
- Personal Support Workers (PSWs)
- Health Care Aides
Cost: $40.00
Technology Requirements: Access to the internet to complete the online learning modules.
Full Participation is mandatory to receive a certificate.
Online Registration Terms and Conditions – Learn more
Upcoming Sessions
| Winter 2027 | |
| Course Dates: | Jan. 20th – Mar. 17th, 2027 |
| Registration Deadline: | Jan. 5th, 2027 |
| Independent Study: | To be scheduled by participants |
| Coaching Session: | Mar. 10th, 2027 |
| 9:00 am – 11:30 am | |
| Register: | Click here to register. |