Ms Kylie Ash1, Dr Catherine Joyce1,2, Ms Mila Obucina1
1Advance Care Planning Australia, Metro South Health, Brisbane, Australia, 2School of Public Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Kylie Ash is the Advance Care Planning Australia Education Coordinator. Kylie is a registered nurse with a Master of Nursing. Her clinical grounding in cancer and haematological settings forged her passion for holistic, person-led care. She has an extensive history managing and contributing to cancer and palliative care workforce development projects nationally. In her current role, she is driven to deliver engaging and innovative learning to care providers and the community to support advance care planning in Australia.
Abstract:
Background:
Palliative care nurses play a vital role in supporting advance care planning (ACP) processes. They require development of specialised ACP knowledge and skills including facilitating complex conversations, understanding legal frameworks and documents and supporting decision-making. Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) has developed an evidence-based learning program reflecting contemporary ACP principles which supports rights-based, inclusive care. Six quiz-based microlearning campaigns are available, at no cost, for the health workforce.
Aims:
To examine how learner outcomes from microlearning campaigns contribute to identifying entrenched misconceptions and informing ongoing ACP learning needs within the health workforce.
Methods:
Data from 72 quiz questions was extracted and analysed to assess learner responses and topic area performance.
Results:
Over 1,650 learners completed one or more microlearning campaigns (October 2024 – October 2025). Average performance, measured by the percentage of questions answered correctly by learners, was 83%. However, 12 questions had correct answer response rates less than 60% with six of these less than 50%, highlighting knowledge gaps in topic areas “Documentation”, “Making decisions” and “Capacity”. Most commonly (n=10), questions with low correct answer response rates (30-55%) related to advance care directives (ACDs) and how they inform decision-making by clinicians and substitute decision-makers, highlighting widespread misconceptions around interstate recognition, the legally binding nature of ACDs and the role of goals-of-care documents. A First Nations scenario-based question had the lowest correct response rate of 22%, reflecting opportunities to improve cultural capability within the health workforce.
Conclusions:
Even among skilled and experienced clinicians, key misconceptions and knowledge gaps about ACP may exist. ACP is a specialised field of knowledge and practice which is one of many that palliative care nurses must master. Analysis of learning outcomes enables ACPA to refine learning resources and adapt engagement strategies with the palliative care nurse workforce and other health and aged care professionals.