Dr. Caroline Phelan1, Ms Melissa Bruno1, Ms Eileen Donoghue1, Dr Claudia Virdun1
1Flinders University
Biography:
Caroline is a Senior Lecturer at Flinders University.
Background:
Australia’s National Palliative Care Strategy (2018) highlights the need for a skilled workforce across healthcare settings, calling for innovative educational approaches. To address this, Flinders University developed the Certificate and Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care short courses, developed to bridge the gap between free online CPD and formal postgraduate programs. These courses provide healthcare professionals with in-depth, evidence-based palliative care knowledge without the commitment of extensive postgraduate study. As new additions to the sector, they aim to enhance workforce skills and require ongoing evaluation to ensure they meet professional needs.
Abstract:
Aim:
This evaluation aimed to assess student satisfaction with the new short courses and identify areas for improvement to enhance relevance and effectiveness.
Methods:
An evaluation tool was developed to gather feedback from students. The evaluation consisted of multiple-choice questions and free-text response options, allowing for the collection of quantitative and qualitative data on participants’ experiences, knowledge acquisition and usability of the training modules.
Results:
In 2024, 222 students enrolled in the two courses, with 169 completing the evaluation (76% response rate). Participants expressed high satisfaction, commending the practical relevance of the content and the instructors’ expertise. Free-text feedback emphasised the courses’ positive impact on applying palliative care practices professionally. However, areas for improvement were noted, including a call for more case studies tailored to allied health professionals and increased interactive components to enhance learner engagement.
Conclusion:
The evaluation indicates that both the Certificate and the Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care successfully meet the needs of healthcare professionals seeking advanced knowledge in this field. However, incorporating allied health perspectives and enhancing interactivity could enrich the learning experience further. These findings will inform future course updates to ensure continued relevance and quality of palliative care education in the support of broad workforce skill development across care systems and settings.