Palliative Care Short Courses
Our online short courses provide essential skills for professionals in the health and community care industries, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care.
The Certificate in Palliative Care offers a foundational overview for healthcare professionals and support workers, focusing on best practices. The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care delves deeper, providing advanced insights and preparing you for further postgraduate study. Our Communication Skills for End-of-Life Conversations course imparts practical techniques to engage compassionately with patients and their families.
Why study at Flinders?
We are a leader in palliative and end-of-life care education. Our popular online short courses provide people working in the health and community care industries with invaluable skills to deliver quality care.
- Our courses are 100% online, providing access to learning anywhere in Australia or around the world.
- We have developed our topics with industry partners from a variety of settings, covering current and essential subjects for any person working with people approaching the end of life.
- Our aim is to prepare students to provide person-centred, compassionate care. We focus on the provision of quality, evidence-based palliative, and end-of-life care; and our students gain knowledge and skills in various areas, such as communication at the end of life, clinical management, palliative care in aged and acute settings.
What course is right for me?
The Certificate in Palliative Care is suitable for unregistered support workers, enrolled nurses, undergraduates, and healthcare professionals working in general settings or starting in specialist palliative care.
The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care is suitable for healthcare professionals working in general settings or starting in Specialist Palliative Care.
The Communication skills for end-of-life conversations is suitable for is suitable for anyone working in a health care setting who may have conversations with staff, patients and families about end of life care.
If you are uncertain which course is right for you, please contact us via palliativecare@flinders.edu.au
Certificate in Palliative Care
This course provides an overview and introduction to best practice end-of-life care. It is structured to meet the needs of those caring for people with palliative care needs or at the end of life. It is open to health care professionals, undergraduates, diploma-qualified and unregistered support workers.
Time-limited and self-paced, you can start this course any time.
When
Anytime
Mode of delivery
Online
Duration
10 weeks
Expected hours of workload
90
Cost
$1,200 + GST
Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care
This course provides an overview of best practices and the opportunity to develop knowledge of the palliative approach to care. It is structured to meet the needs of those interested in further study but are unsure if they want to complete a postgraduate course.
Completion qualifies for 4.5 Unit credits (1 topic) in the palliative care postgraduate courses.
When
February & July
Mode of delivery
Online
Duration
13 weeks
Expected hours of workload
135
Cost
$3,400 + GST
Communication Skills for End-of-Life Conversations
This course provides a practical and compassionate approach to best practice in End-of-Life care through communication. It is structured to meet the needs of those professionals caring for people with end-of-life care needs. Whatever clinical or practice setting you work in, this course will help you to communicate with people living with serious progressive illness and their families with increased confidence and skill.
It is open to health care professionals and undergraduates (who have some clinical experience).
This course includes a compulsory 2-day intensive workshop to support skill development and connect with fellow students. Two intakes throughout the year.
The two day, face-to-face course is also available for interstate delivery. Travel and facilitator fees apply. For more information on additional costs and venue requirements, please contact, palliativecare@flinders.edu.au
When
Online component commences in May 2025
2 day workshop 16th & 17th June 2025 in Adelaide CBD
To check future course dates, contact palliativecare@flinders.edu.au
Mode of delivery
Online & in-person
Duration
8 weeks
Expected hours of workload
80 hours (including the two-day workshop)
Cost
$1,200 + GST
Course content
The course will result in the understanding of theories and practices within health to support those who are terminally ill and their families with knowledge, evidence-based care and empathy.
Various modules will be undertaken by participants:
- Communication at end of life
- Palliative care for patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses
- Pain management
- Management of a variety of health conditions and symptoms
- Care in the last days of life
- Loss, grief and bereavement.
All study materials are available online and access information will be provided upon registration.
Entry Requirements
Certificate in Palliative Care
We recommend students be working in the health sector or closely related field.
Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care and Communication Skills for End-of-Life Conversations
Applicants must normally hold an approved health-related bachelor degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution, and be working in the health sector or closely related field.
Program facilitator
Our highly experienced teaching staff are well versed in online teaching methods and work closely with senior clinicians and subject matter experts to support healthcare professionals and learners from all around Australia and beyond.
Course coordinator: Kristina Walsh
Group Bookings
For organisations or health services that would like to enrol a group of students and arrange advance payment, please contact us via email: palliativecare@flinders.edu.au.
How to enrol
If you are a scholarship applicant, please apply through your employer's scholarship program, not this portal. Your employer will provide your registration details to Flinders University.
Certificate in Palliative Care
1. Pay for the course here.
2. Fill out and submit the registration form - please include details regarding your work history, education (including document upload of proof of education) and receipt number to verify your payment.
Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care
The Specialist Certificate in Palliative Care will be offered in both Semester 1 and Semester 2 of the academic year. Please contact the Palliative Care Teaching team regarding this short course via email: palliativecare@flinders.edu.au.
Communication Skills for End-of-Life Conversations
1. Pay for the course here.
2. Fill out and submit the registration form - please include details regarding your work history, education (including document upload of proof of education) and receipt number to verify your payment.
Advance your career in Palliative Care
Advance your career in Palliative Care with our range of postgraduate degrees, with courses offered across graduate certificate, graduate diploma, Masters and PhD levels of study.
Continue to build knowledge and skills required to become a palliative care specialist, or undertake research or quality assurance projects focused on improving the delivery of palliative care.
Our postgraduate courses have flexible delivery modes — study part-time, full-time, in-person or online.
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South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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CRICOS Provider: 00114A TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12097 TEQSA category: Australian University