Lunchtime Seminar - Developing research skills in palliative care: staff stress, advance care planning and compassionate communities

A Seminar focused on the work of those in palliative care featuring the work of recent graduates from the Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care Social Work course at Queen’s University, presenting their findings from projects completed during their research module.

The three presenters are:

• Aislinn Delaney (Social Work Team Leader, Northern Ireland Hospice) assessed the stress levels of frontline clinical staff in the hospice inpatient unit, and explored possible contributing and mediating factors.
• Mags Whitehead (Antrim Hospital, NHSCT) will present findings from her study: Meaningful conversations – exploring interdisciplinary team knowledge, awareness and understanding of advance care planning in a hospital setting.
• Eibhlin McNamara (Bereavement Coordinator & Palliative Care Social Worker, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin) used a survey to explore if attending a structured bereavement community-based information event impact on how a person processes their grief?
• Natasha Nicholl (Social Work Team Leader, Community Older People, WHSCT) conducted a retrospective file audit to explore if timely referrals to palliative care clients improved service provision.

Each presentation will highlight all the different methods used to conduct research, and provide a deeper understanding of findings from the studies into factors that contribute to or alleviate stress, the importance of advance care planning conversations and the benefits of community-based information events.