Visiting Nurse Preceptorship
Program Description:
The Palliative Care Program of the Medical College of Wisconsin is pleased to offer a visiting scholar program designed for nurses. The program provides an opportunity for nurses to enhance their skills in symptom management and end of life decision making for patients with terminal illness. Consultations are done in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
The program is designed to meet the learning needs of:
Ø Advanced Practice Nurses
Ø Geriatric Nurses
Ø Hospice Nurses
Ø Long-term care nurses wishing training in pain and symptom management regarding end-stage diseases
Ø Nurses in supervisory/educational positions such as in-patient or clinic supervisors
Ø Other nurses with prior medical/surgical experience wishing to enhance their skills in symptom management and end-of-life decisions.
Program Features:
Individualized needs assessment The 1-3 day preceptorship is structured to meet the participants' needs:
Ø Advanced training in pain assessment, analgesic management, and end-of-life symptoms
Ø Daily rounds with Palliative Care Consultation Service
Ø Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic
Ø Assistance with individual institutional Palliative Care Program design and development
Topics/Issues that may be covered in the program include:
Ø Pain assessment
Ø Opioid Pharmacology
Ø Determining appropriateness of orders
Ø Dosage Conversions/ Calculations
Ø Getting "what you want" from the MD
Ø Assessment of nausea/vomiting; terminal delirium; constipation; dyspnea, and non-pharmacological interventions for pain
Ø End-of-life communication issues (DNR, breaking bad news, family conferences, withdrawing food/fluids)
Cost: The cost of the program is $600/day/person includes all handout materials .
More info or to obtain an application: Call Lisa Pelzek-Braun at 414-805-4605 or
E-Mail: lpelzek@mail.mcw.edu