Mrs Jennifer Zerafa1, Ms Deanne Layton1, Mrs Kirsten Mitchener1, Mrs Arlene Miller1, Mr Anthony Evangelista1, Mrs Vikki McGrath1, Ms Val Crane1
1Mercy Palliative Care, Australia
Biography:
Deanne Layton is currently Director of Nursing and Manager at Mercy Palliative Care with over twenty years of experience in the palliative care sector. She has worked extensively in both hospital and community-based settings in various roles, most recently leading high-performing teams to deliver high quality palliative care at Mercy Health. Deanne is committed and focused on improving outcomes for patients and families. Deanne has a great ability to empower teams to identify opportunities for quality improvement and has created a positive workplace culture at Mercy Palliative Care.
Abstract:
Background:
Mercy Palliative Care (MPC) experienced long term inability to recruit to community palliative care registered nurse role’s despite numerous advertising campaigns, incentive programs and support from recruitment agencies.
Aim:
The leadership team decided to pivot the recruitment drive and focus on a pilot for Transition to Practice (TTP) program; aimed at professional development of registered nurses to community palliative care commencing in February 2023.
Methods:
Positions were advertised internally and externally offering a six-month part-time tenure. Initial interest was high with seven individuals recruited into positions for the first program. Applicants were from diverse nursing backgrounds including aged care, general medicine and a new graduate nurse.
A preceptorship program was developed, delivering comprehensive clinical education via intensive orientation, in-service education, paid professional development days, workshops and reflective practice sessions.
Results:
The TTP program incorporated eight Palliative Care education days facilitated onsite by the multidisciplinary team. Education content included: symptom management, physical and psychosocial aspects of a life limiting illness, communication, ethics and palliative care emergencies. Interactive workshops provided case studies, real time assessments and role play of scenarios.
Six of the initial seven applicants successfully obtained permanent positions and the program’s success saw the running of a further three with retention of 95% of applicants as permanent staff at MPC. The Nursing workforce is currently at full EFT and 60% of all successfully employed TPP participants have gone on to undertake post graduate studies in palliative care.
Conclusion:
The TPP delivered comprehensive clinical education and was crucial to the retention of applicants. The TPP provided a structured training method immersing development in a teaching model supported by expert staff. The TPP revealed the requirement of interdisciplinary team support, with leadership playing an active role in advocacy for the programs continuity to meet increasing demands in the palliative care workforce