GUWAHATI, June 4 - A three-day training programme on palliative care was organised for nurses of northeastern states at the Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) here from May 31 to June 2, said a press release today.
The End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) training, organised by the Department of Palliative Medicine, BBCI with support from Cipla Foundation, was provided by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and City of Hope Medical Centre, California.
Palliative care is the active total care applicable from the time of diagnosis, aimed at improving the quality of life of patients and their families facing serious life-limiting illnesses through the prevention and relief of suffering from pain and other physical symptoms as well as psychological, social and spiritual distress through socially acceptable and affordable interventions.
Altogether 48 nurses from all the north-eastern states participated in the training programme.
The ELNEC course provides nurses with education in palliative care preparing them to teach the information to practising nurses and other healthcare professionals. The ELNEC content comprises modules that include: palliative nursing care at the end of life; pain management; symptom management; communication; final hours; paediatric palliative care; loss, grief and bereavement; ethical issues; leadership and self care.
Dr Kabindra Bhagabati welcomed the participants for the three-day ELNEC training programme. BBCI Director Dr AC Kataki inaugurated the training programme and emphasised the importance of training the nurses to care for terminally ill cancer patients.
Sister Hanife MacGamwell (French), Sister Sangeeta Nair (Mumbai), Dr Prakash Fernendes (Cipla Foundation) and Dr Manjiri Dighe, director, Cipla Palliative Care and Training Center were present as external faculties.
At the end of the training programme certificates were distributed to the participants.
