Palliative Care Certificate

Palliative care aspires to relieve the suffering and enhance the quality of life in persons living with acute or chronic life-threatening illnesses, as well as during their death and in the bereavement process.

Okanagan College’s Palliative Care certificate program addresses the management of the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual concerns of these persons.  Specifically, it provides participants with enhanced knowledge and skills to care for both the dying and the family or friends supporting them, and to function effectively as part of a palliative care team.

As increasing proportions of the population grow older and eventually are in need of palliative care, a new respect for palliative care is emerging.  The ever-advancing specialty of palliative care as a rewarding career is attracting compassionate, multidisciplinary healthcare professions.  Our students are changing how care is delivered within institutions and in the community.

The program’s two courses follow a provincial curriculum. The first explores attitudes and definitions of death, dying, and grief, as well as the role of cultural and religious influences. The second course focuses on specific issues such as HIV and AIDS, nutrition, care planning and modification, and resource management, and reviews issues related to ethical considerations and caring for the caregiver.