E-News March 1, 2010

Presented by the Supportive Care Coalition and sponsored by the Catholic Health Association, Recovering Our Traditions will be held October 28-30, 2010 in St. Louis.

Opportunities

AAHPM Volunteer Opportunity 
In 2010, AAHPM plans to launch a new information tool focused on business practice issues. They are seeking volunteers to join the editorial committee.
Product description: A series of short articles on business information items, posted on the new AAHPM blog site to be launched in spring 2010. An important aspect will be to have a consistent format, much like Fast Facts. The articles should be VERY short – one page or less. They will contain links or references to more detailed information or tools. There will be some mechanism on the blog site for archiving past articles so that they can be searched by topic. For more information and to apply, click here.

National Health Care Decisions Day - April 16, 2009
Please complete the participation form to confirm your organization's commitment to supporting this initiative. Many outreach materials and suggestions are available on the NHDD Web site at "Organize Your Community." Please consider spending 5-7 minutes to complete the NHDD survey for physicians.

HFA Announces New Funding Opportunity
Letter of Intent Due March 10
Hospice Foundation of America announces its new funding program to support grieving young people ages 13 to 17. Applicants must be non-profit hospices or other non-profit bereavement organizations whose programs are available to the entire community in which they are located.  Hospice Foundation of America will award one $10,000 grant for program-related expenses (including but not limited to purchase of equipment or materials, publications, or other curriculum-related materials.) Priority will be given to programs who offer innovative programs for young people ages 13 to 17, with a special priority given to programs that focus on outreach to diverse populations. HFA will also award a number of smaller $1,000 grants for noteworthy programs. To be considered for funding, organizations must submit a Letter of Intent.  Please submit the following information in a one-page Letter of Intent (250 words maximum):

• Primary contact: Name, address, phone number and email
• A snapshot of your organization, including:
• Mission statement
• Number of professional staff and volunteers
• Geographic region served by your programs; and
• Programming provided to children, adolescents and their families
• A brief description of how funds from HFA would be used

Letters should be submitted via email to grants@hospicefoundation.org by Wednesday, March 10.  Letters will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Selected organizations will be invited to submit a full proposal, which will be due on Wednesday, April 21. Organizations will be notified about funding by June 15.

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Physician Volunteers Needed to Support Haiti Relief Efforts
The AMA has created a physician registry as a means to facilitate and coordinate the deployment of physicians willing to volunteer with federal and private sector response organizations to respond to the Haiti earthquake. Practicing physicians are eligible to register. Visit the AMA's Web site to complete the volunteer form.

Nurse Volunteers for Recovery Efforts in Haiti
For information about volunteering in Haiti, please visit the ANA's Web site. Complete the ANA's online volunteer form.

In the News

FDA Announces Approval of Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution for Relief of Acute and Chronic Pain
CAPC Web January 27, 2010
"New York, NY – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Morphine Sulfate Oral Solution for the relief of moderate to severe, acute and chronic pain in opioid-tolerant patients. The solution will be available in 100 milligrams per 5 mL or 20 milligrams per 1 mL. Although using this medication to manage pain has been common practice for many years, this form and concentration of morphine was not FDA-approved until now. CAPC welcomes the news of the approval, as the morphine solution is critical for treating and preventing extreme suffering for those nearing the end of life."

Readings

Symptom Assessment in Palliative Medicine: Complexities and Challenges
Kirkova J, Walsh D, Russel M, Hauser K, Lasheen W, American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 27, No. 1, 75-83 (2010)
The free full text PDF is available to download.
"Symptoms are important patient-reported outcomes, which help to evaluate the impact of diseases and treatments and assess quality of care. Thorough symptom assessment is a challenge, as patients in palliative settings are often polysymptomatic and easily fatigued. There is no consensus about standardization of symptom assessment in palliative medicine. The available research provides some methodological guidance, but the psychometric properties of structured multisymptom assessments are largely understudied. New approaches may improve the efficacy of clinical assessment and create instruments with greater clinical utility. Current methodological concepts of symptom assessment in clinical practice are discussed, specifically with reference to symptom questionnaires appropriate for palliative medicine."

Music as Language
Trisha Ready, BA, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpenteria, CA, ready@wolfenet.com
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 27, No. 1, 7-15 (2010)
"This article is an inquiry into the potential role of music in helping to address and to articulate complex emotional states such as the feelings patients might experience during the process of an illness or while undergoing bereavement. The article is centered on the role music played in structuring and articulating the cancer treatment experience of the author's infant nephew. What is woven around that central core is a synthesis and analysis of various philosophical perspectives, autobiographical vignettes, and empirical research. The writer postulates that music has an essential, inherent capacity to scaffold and contain emotions. Music is also considered a means to help facilitate the expression of difficult emotions such as lamentation, longing, and fear of the unknown that are often otherwise isolating, ineffable, or unbearable for patients. A major point of inquiry in this article is whether music can serve as a nurturing love object, or as a transitional object, for a patient during times of intense distress. What is also woven throughout this article is a subexploration of various philosophical perspectives on the cultural meanings and metaphors of illness."

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Hospices' Preparation and Practices for Quality Measurement
Laura C. Hanson, MD, MPH, Anna P. Schenck, MSPH, PhD, Franziska S. Rokoske, PT, MS , Amy P. Abernethy, MD, Jean S. Kutner, MD, MSPH, Carol Spence, PhD, Judi Lund Person, MPH, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. Volume 39, Issue 1, Pages 1-8 (January 2010)
"Hospice and palliative care organizations need to measure and analyze quality of care, in response to national palliative care practice guidelines and new hospice regulatory requirements. Little is known about hospices' readiness to meet this new mandate."
Results: Survey respondents represented 652 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) member hospice organizations; 52% were participating in the NHPCO Quality Partners program. Most of these hospices involve clinical providers in decisions to change care practices (69%) and participate in quality improvement projects (64%), but research participation is uncommon (16%). Many hospices collect data about staff certification and training (76%) and use family surveys to measure care quality (70%). A minority of hospices have clinical data in electronic format (13%–29%). Large size, multiple sites, government ownership, and presence of a change leader in the organization were the characteristics associated with greater preparation for quality improvement and research."

Spiritual Care Beliefs and Practices of Special Care and Oncology RNs at Patients' End of Life
Murray, Reinette Powers
Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing. 12(1):51-58, January/February 2010.
"The need for nurses to address patients' spiritual care practices and needs at the end of life was the focus of this study. A descriptive comparative study was done between 33 intensive care and oncology RNs, addressing their personal spiritual beliefs and practices caring for patients at the end of life. The nursing framework for the study was the "Comfort Theory" (Kolcaba). The RNs from these two units participated by completing the Demographic and Spiritual Beliefs and Practices surveys. Results showed a nonsignificant difference between nurses who worked on the two units. The RNs from both units felt a strong belief in the need to assess their patients' spirituality at the end of life. Despite indicating the need to address spiritual care needs in their daily practice, data revealed a great inconsistency in nurses addressing these needs and a desire for education in addressing spirituality issues with their patients and family members. Results of this study support previous research identifying the need for greater support of the RN in identifying and assessing spiritual care concerns of their patients."

Resources

CAPCconnect™ Forum
The CAPCconnect™ palliative care discussion forum is a free resource for health care professionals who want to share information, exchange ideas, and get advice from their colleagues on operational issues affecting their palliative care programs.

End of Life / Palliative Education Resource Center (EPERC) Fast Facts
# 227 The Family Meeting: End of Life Goal Setting and Future Planning
This Fast Fact discusses an approach to goal setting when the expected length of life is short.
# 226 Helping Surrogates Make Decisions
This Fast Fact reviews an approach to help surrogates through the decision process when patients cannot participate in decision-making themselves.
# 225 The Family Meeting: Causes of Conflict
This Fast Fact explores imderstanding the causes of conflict and how to plan an effective strategy to move beyond the conflict to meet the needs of the patient and surrogates.
# 224 Responding to Emotion in Family Meetings
This Fast Fact provides a detailed approach to emotions that arise during family meetings.

Fund PalCare
The Collaborative to Advance Funding for Palliative Care (CAFPAC) is a growing group of funders, from across the U.S., that are committed to advancing funding for PalCare. CAFPAC seeks to share palliative care grantmaking concepts and success stories, and to stimulate higher levels of funding in palliative care. Download the Palliative Care Grant Making Snapshot Report.

AAHPM Blog
Follow what's happening at the AAHPM & HPNA Annual Assembly via the new Academy blog. More than 20 AAHPM members will be previewing the conference in the next few weeks and blogging from Boston to offer their perspectives and take-aways from the educational and networking sessions.

Visit www.PalliativeDoctors.org
"Compassionate care at any stage of an illnes." Palliativedoctors.org is an AAHPM resource for learning how hospice and palliative care can help patients with serious or life-threatening conditions.

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Conferences and Other Educational Opportunities

October 28-30, 2010
St. Louis Marriott Union Station

Join us in October for Recovering Our Traditions, an exceptional educational conference. This unique event is grounded in the roots of the Catholic health care ministry which compel us to provide the highest quality of compassionate care for patients with life-limiting illness, especially those who are the sickest and most vulnerable. The conference will examine current trends, recent developments and leading practices in palliative care programs across the continuum of care, offering successful growth and sustainability strategies for the next generation of palliative care services. A wide range of plenary and concurrent sessions will address timely topics, exploring physical, psycho-social, cultural and spiritual domains of care. Participants will gain knowledge and skills in optimizing structures and processes that transform the delivery of care and contribute to high patient and family satisfaction. With a distinguished faculty of nationally recognized experts, Recovering Our Traditions blends the art and science of palliative care services. Health care professionals will learn from innovative models of clinical excellence that will benefit their diverse ministry settings. At the same time, participants will be invigorated by a renewed sense of passion and commitment to relieve suffering and sustain hope. See you in St. Louis!

Download the Congress flyer for a list of faculty and more information. Watch our Web site for additional details to be added soon!

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AAHPM and HPNA Annual Assembly
March 3-10, 2010, Boston, MA

CHA e-Advocacy Webinar
March 9, 2010, Noon-1:00 Eastern
Register online
This one-hour "webinar" provides the opportunity to learn more about using e-Advocacy, CHA's web-based program for grassroots action. Learn how to access the latest information on issues in Congress affecting Catholic health care and how to make our collective voice heard in Washington. You can participate from your own desk using your own computer, and this training is provided free to the ministry.
This event is free to all CHA members; please register by March 2, 2010.

HPNA Web Teleconferences for Nursing Assistants (new in 2010!)
4th Wednesday of month, 3-3:30pm ET
$40 per site
The purpose of the nursing assistant teleconference is to present practical information specifically related to patient care, support of the family, the nursing assistant role as a member of the interdisciplinary team, and other practice issues.

Register online for one teleconference or the entire year! (Registration ends 24 hours prior to the teleconference).

Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) 2010 Living with Grief Teleconference
Cancer and End-of-Life Care
March 24, 2010, 1:30-4:00 PM Eastern
The program will address care options related to cancer diagnoses as well as loss and grief reactions for patients, families and professional caregivers. The teleconference will also examine psychosocial aspects of cancer, pain management, and ethical issues related to the disease.

CAPC Audio Conference: Incorporating Palliative Care Services into Long Term Care Facilities
March 25, 2010, 1:30-2:30 PM Eastern
Join Janet Larson Braun, RN, MSPH and Todd Coté, MD, FAAHPM, FAAFP of Hospice of the Bluegrass and Palliative Care Center of the Bluegrass as they discuss several models for increasing access to palliative care within long term care settings and address the barriers that currently exist. Register online.

Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) Webinar Series
Bereaved Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Research 
April 14, 2010, 1:00-2:30 PM ET
Panelists include: J. William Worden, Lead Researcher for the Harvard Child Bereavement Study and Irwin N. Sandler, Regent’s Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University
Grieving Children and Adolescents: The Role of Internet Support
June 15, 1:00-2:30 PM ET 
Panelists include: Pamela Gabbay of the Mourning Star Center and National Alliance of Grieving Children and Cendra Lynn, founder of GriefNet and KidsAid.com

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NHPCO's 25th Management and Leadership Conference: Securing Our Roots, Expanding Our Reach
Pre-conference Seminars: April 20 – 21, 2010      
Main Conference: April 22 - 24, 2010
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC
Each year NHPCO designs new educational programming for the Management and Leadership conference, reflecting the latest trends and innovations in hospice and palliative care and addressing all aspects of management and leadership.
Download the conference highlights brochure.

Spirituality: The Invisible Ingredient in Health and Healing
May 6-7, 2010, Vancouver, B.C.
Sponsored by Providence Health Care
The focus of the conference will be on Spirituality in the Workplace, Spirituality and Aging, Spirituality and Change, and Care for the Caregiver. Participants will include: physicians and other health care clinicians; health care executives and managers; researchers; government leaders; instructors especially in medicine, nursing and other health disciplines; community and social service practitioners; primary care and religious leaders; educators; patients and families. For information please contact Elizabeth Turtle at eturtle@providencehealth.bc.ca.

Catholic Health Assembly
Forging Our Future, Strengthening the Ministry through Turbulent Times
June 13-15, 2010, Hyatt Regency Denver
Sponsored by Catholic Health Association
Register Online
Attention CHA Members: register by April 16 and receive a discounted rate!
(Log-in required to get member pricing. See registration page for details.)

The Art of Presence, 5th Annual Healthcare Renewal Retreat
August 23-29, 2010, Assisi, Italy
Presented by GWish
Integrators of spirit, heart, mind and body, the retreat leaders draw from their medical, psychological, spiritual and artistic backgrounds to provide an extraordinary learning/healing environment for the renewal of health professionals and care providers of all faiths. Register online at gwish.org.

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End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) 2010 Training Calendar
The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project is a national education initiative to improve palliative care. The project provides undergraduate and graduate nursing faculty, CE providers, staff development educators, specialty nurses in pediatrics, oncology, critical care and geriatrics, and other nurses with training in palliative care so they can teach this essential information to nursing students and practicing nurses. Download the ELNEC fact sheet. Questions? Contact Pam Malloy at pmalloy@aacn.nche.edu.

Palliative Care Leadership Centers™ (PCLC) 2010 Trainings
To learn more, choose the PCLC that is right for you, and register, visit the Center to Advance Palliative Care's PCLC Web. Palliative Care Leadership Centers™ (PCLC) is a national training and mentoring initiative supported by a consortium of funders, with direction and technical assistance provided by the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). PCLC offers training and mentoring to help start and expand hospital palliative care programs in the United States. For general questions, please contact Jennifer Raiten at Jennifer.Raiten@mssm.edu or (212) 201-2683.

APPEAL Training: A Progressive Palliative Care Educational Curriculum for the Care of African Americans at Life's End
Presented by the Duke Institute on Care at the End of Life
Visit the APPEAL Web site for more information.
2010 Training Locations:
New Orleans, LA
Memphis, TN
Abington, PA
Birmingham, AL

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Photo courtesy of Sandy Wyper

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